The Effect of Physiotherapy on Dysfunctional Breathing in Children and Adolescents With and Without Asthma

The Effect of Physiotherapy on Dysfunctional Breathing in Children and Adolescents With and Without Asthma.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of physiotherapeutical instructions on dysfunctional breathing in children and adolescents with or without asthma.

Children and adolescents with dysfunctional breathing, are invited to participate in the intervention study. Participants are stratified by asthma diagnose status and randomized to physiotherapy or standard care. Participants are followed a year after the intervention, to compare the development in asthma control ( if asthma) and quality of life.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of physiotherapeutical instructions on dysfunctional breathing in children and adolescents with or without asthma.

All children and adolescents aged 10-17 years, followed in our outpatient clinic with the diagnose of asthma are invited to fulfill the Nijmegen Questionnaire (NQ) and the Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ5)

Children and adolescents where asthma was investigated and ruled out are invited to fulfill the NQ.

Data from the electronic patient journal are used as descriptives.

Participants with dysfunctional breathing (NQ >= 23) are invited to participate in the intervention study. Participants are stratified by asthma diagnose status and randomized to physiotherapy or standard care. Participants are followed a year after the intervention, to compare the development in asthma control measured by ACQ5 (if asthma) and quality of life measured by PedsQL.

The effect of physiotherapy is analyzed separately for participants with and without asthma. In addition, primary outcomes are analyzed in a regression model with asthma status, age and sex as explanatory variables.

Inclusion Criteria:

Asthma group:

• Asthma diagnosed by lung function tests and/or typical symptoms.
• Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids in minimum 3 months.
• ACQ5 >= 1.5.
• NQ >= 23.

NonAsthma group

• Asthma denied after lung function tests ( exercise challenge or mannitol challenge)
• NQ >= 23.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other significant cardiopulmonary or muscoluskeletal conditions.
• Complex functional conditions involving other organ systems.
• patients who already had the physotherapeutical intervention before study start.