Impact of bronchial asthma on exercise capacity

This is a photo of a man bent over and struggling to catch his breath while people behind him are exercising,.

Researchers at EuroMediCare in Wroctaw, Poland, and the Healthcare Centre in Święta Katarzyna, Poland, shared results of a new study to measure the impact of bronchial asthma on exercise capacity. Their paper, “Assessment of Exercise Capacity in Patients Diagnosed with Moderate and Severe Bronchial Asthma: Preliminary Prospective Observational Study,” was recently published in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy.

Bronchial asthma is characterized by chronic airway inflammation, with symptoms like wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness and cough. The disease's development is influenced by genetic and environmental factors.

Key findings from the study revealed that patients with severe asthma covered significantly shorter distances during the six-minute walk test (6MWT) compared to those with moderate asthma. The difference in exercise capacity was statistically significant (p < 0.001), highlighting the impact of asthma severity on physical performance. Additionally, a larger proportion of asthma patients (76%) fell into the insufficient physical activity category compared to non-asthmatic individuals (24%). Of the non-asthmatic participants, 66.67% reported sufficient physical activity compared to 33.33% of asthmatic patients (p = 0.005).

The study included 63 participants, divided into two groups: 33 individuals with bronchial asthma and 30 individuals from the general population without asthma. Participants underwent several assessments, including the 6MWT, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale.

Researchers noted that asthma patients exhibited significantly more sitting time, suggesting a more sedentary lifestyle. Despite similar overall physical activity levels between asthma and non-asthma groups, the increased sitting time among asthma patients points to a need for targeted interventions to reduce sedentary behavior, according to the study’s authors.

Additionally, researchers emphasized the importance of regular physical activity for asthma patients, noting that it can improve overall health, ventilation rates and quality of life. The study also highlighted the challenges many asthma patients face, including the fear of post-exercise symptoms and the impact of environmental factors, such as poor weather and air pollution.

The findings underscore the need for comprehensive asthma management strategies that include appropriate pharmacological treatment and physiotherapeutic measures to enhance exercise capacity and reduce sedentary behavior. Researchers encouraged further studies to explore the long-term effects of physical activity interventions and to better understand the factors influencing exertion and exercise tolerance in asthma patients.

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