Effects of Combined Respiratory Muscle Training and Steam Inhalation

Launched by WELLO2 OY · Oct 5, 2020

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

Numerous respiratory muscle training (RMT) experiments with healthy subjects, as well as with patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis and asthma, have been reported since 80's. Respiratory training with WellO2 device was used in a clinical pilot study by Huttunen and Rantala to investigate effects of steam inhalation and RMT on voice quality in patients with voice symptoms. No adverse effects were found in that study.

The present study is designed to investigate further the RMT and steam inhalation on lung function and respiratory symptoms with subjects suf...

Gender

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Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Signed written informed consent
• • 2. Age 18-65 years
• • 3. Ethnic origin: Finnish
• • 4. Both men and women are included
• • 5. Diagnosed COPD or asthma or both
• • 6. The duration of the illness at least 1 year, and the disease is at a stable stage
• • 7. Pulmonary medication: unchanged for 4 weeks before the start of the study and throughout the study
• • 8. Severity of the disease: mild, moderate or severe
• • 9. The baseline FEV1 45-90 % of predicted normal value (Kainu et al 2016)
• • 10. Eventual previous smoking has been ceased at least four weeks before the study
• • 11. Compliance and commitment to the study (volunteered study subjects)
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Previous history of pneumothorax
• • 2. Unstable emphysema
• • 3. Chest, abdominal, or cerebral aneurysms
• • 4. Epilepsy
• • 5. Chronic nose bleeding
• • 6. Recent (\< 3 months) surgical operations
• • 7. Pregnancy
• • 8. Unstable mental health issues
• • 9. Alcohol consumption more than 10 portions/week (one portion is e.g. 4 cl of strong drinks including 40 % alcohol by volume)
• • 10. Drug addiction
• • 11. Non-compliance to the study protocol
• • 12. History of worsening asthma symptoms at sauna
• • 13. Any other pulmonary disease than asthma or COPD
• • 14. Any other major illnesses such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, neurological diseases or type 1 diabetes
• • 15. Smoking during the study period of 16 weeks