Abstract
Objective: The objective was to assess the effects of a nasal restriction device for inspiratory muscle training, called Feelbreathe®, added to a rehabilitation program (RP) on exercise capacity, quality of life, dyspnea and inspiratory muscle strength in patients with stable COPD. Methods: Patients were randomized into three groups, one performed a supervised RP using the Feelbreathe® device (FB group), the second group developed the same RP with oronasal breathing without FB (ONB group) and the third was the control group (CG). We evaluated inspiratory muscle strength (PImax), dyspnea (mMRC), quality of life (CAT) and exercise capacity (6MWT) before and after 8-week of RP. Results: A total of 16 patients completed the study, seven in FB group, five in ONB group and four in the CG. After the RP, the FB group showed a significant increase in PImax (93.3 ± 19.1 vs. 123.0 ± 15.8 mmHg) and in the 6MWT distance (462.9 ± 71.8 m vs. 529.1 ± 50.1 m) and a decrease in the CAT score (9.7 ± 6.5 vs. 5.9 ± 6.0) and in the mMRC dyspnea score. FB provides greater improvement in PImax, dyspnea, quality of life and 6MWT than ONB. Conclusions: The Feelbreathe® device provides greater improvements in quality of life, dyspnea, exercise capacity and inspiratory muscle strength compared to patients that did not use it.
Highlights
The benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation programs (RP) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients have been shown and are recognized as an effective tool for improving dyspnea, exercise tolerance and quality of life in all the guidelines [1,2,3,4].In addition to chronic airflow obstruction, COPD patients have frequent muscle dysfunction that is caused by the interaction of local and systemic factors that can involve respiratory and/or limb muscles [5,6]
Participants were randomly assigned according to a computer-generated randomization table to three groups: (1) those who participated in the supervised RP using the Feelbreathe® device (FB group), (2) those who participated in the supervised RP with oronasal breathing without the Feelbreathe® device (ONB group) and, (3) those included in the control group (CG), which received standard medical recommendations for patients with COPD
Two patients assigned to ONB withdrew after finishing the RP without performing the final tests, one patient in the CG withdrew for the same reason and the other one due to a COPD
Summary
The benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation programs (RP) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients have been shown and are recognized as an effective tool for improving dyspnea, exercise tolerance and quality of life in all the guidelines [1,2,3,4]. In addition to chronic airflow obstruction, COPD patients have frequent muscle dysfunction that is caused by the interaction of local and systemic factors that can involve respiratory and/or limb muscles [5,6]. Some authors explain that the limitation of COPD patients is in the respiratory muscles and in the lack of skeletal muscle strength [7], which could justify carrying out respiratory. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 3669; doi:10.3390/ijerph17103669 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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