Effect of buteyko method on quality of life of adults with bronchial asthma

Background: Bronchial asthma is a long-lasting inflammatory airway disease, which is typified by episodic reversible obstruction of airways, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and ample reduced health-related quality of life. The purpose of the Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT) is to treat chronic hyperventilation by ensuring a gradual reduction of tidal volume and breathing frequency, both of which normalize the arterial carbon dioxide tension, relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle, and an increase in functional respiratory outcome. Methods: There was a pre-test/post-test and a single-group experimental design. Thirty adults (n =30) who had been confirmed to have bronchial asthma were enrolled through a purposive sampling method. The treatment of BBT was provided in a controlled outpatient cardiopulmonary physiotherapy followed by twice-a-day home practice. Three outcome measures were measured during the pretest and the posttest period: resting respiratory rate (b/m), Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) total score (range 32-224), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR, L/min). All comparisons of pre and post were done using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (alpha = 0.05, two-tailed). Results: There was an improvement in all the outcomes. Reting respiratory rate fell from 23.53 ± 3.36 to 20.73 ± 2.70 b/m (z = −4.260, p < 0.001, r = 0.78). AQLQ total score rose from 84.90 ± 7.32 to 133.80 ± 30.18 (z = −4.784, p < 0.001, r = 0.87). PEFR increased from 184.33 ± 45.68 to 295.33 ± 44.00 L/min (z = −4.797, p < 0.001, r = 0.88). With all three outcomes, the effect sizes were quite large. Conclusions: A systematic BBT programme brought about beneficial clinical and statistically significant change in respiratory rate, quality of life, as well as peak expiratory flow in adults with bronchial asthma. These results justify the use of BBT as a non-pharmacological adjunct in the process of cardiopulmonary physiotherapy with this group.