MedWire News: Both the Buteyko breathing technique and a control (chest physiotherapy) intervention produced a favorable asthma control outcome in a randomized controlled trial, Canadian researchers report.

In addition to an increase in asthma control 6 months after the intervention, the Buteyko group "significantly reduced their inhaled corticosteroid [ICS] therapy compared with the control group," write Robert Cowie (University of Calgary) and colleagues in the journal Respiratory Medicine.

"There have been several studies which claim success using the Buteyko technique," the authors explain, "but these were either uncontrolled or showed only a trend towards improvement."

To address this, the team randomly assigned 119 asthmatic patients aged 18-50 years to receive either instruction from a trained and internationally accredited Buteyko practitioner in the early evening on 5 consecutive days (Buteyko group; n=56), or instruction from a registered physiotherapist with a series of exercises designed to develop a slow, controlled exhalation, over the same 5 consecutive evenings (control group; n=63).

The initial level of disease control was higher than expected, the authors report, with 40% of the Buteyko and 44% of the control groups showing disease control as assessed by questionnaire. At 6 months follow-up, the percentage of patients with asthma control had improved to 79% in the Buteyko group and 72% in the control group, with no difference between the groups.

However, although both groups had been using similar daily doses of ICSs on entry to the study, the Buteyko group had reduced their average daily dose of beclomethasone equivalent by 317 µg at 6 months compared with a reduction from 56 µg in the control group.

"These data suggest that both interventions can be considered to have been active with a remarkably high level of disease control in both groups 6 months after completion of the intervention," the authors write, adding that "the level of disease control achieved is equivalent to that noted in trials of optimal asthma medication."

In addition, the authors note that "the subjects in the Buteyko group were able to significantly reduce their daily doses of inhaled corticosteroid."

They conclude: "The Buteyko technique or an intensive program delivered by a chest physiotherapist appear to provide additional benefit for adult patients with asthma who are being treated with inhaled corticosteroid."

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