Halotherapy as asthma treatment in children: A randomized, controlled, prospective pilot study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pulmonology
• Allergy and Immunology
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Background:

• Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease requiring ongoing management.
• Patients with asthma frequently explore complementary therapies alongside conventional treatments.
• The efficacy of halotherapy as an adjunct treatment for pediatric asthma remains under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of salt room halotherapy on bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR).
• To evaluate changes in fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels.
• To determine the effect on quality of life in children diagnosed with mild asthma.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, controlled study involving children aged 5-13 years with mild asthma.
• Participants were randomized to either a salt room with a halogenerator (treatment) or a salt room without a halogenerator (control).
• Evaluations included BHR, FeNO, spirometry, and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) over a 7-week period with 14 sessions.

Main Results:

• The treatment group (salt room with halogenerator) showed a statistically significant improvement in BHR.
• No significant improvements were observed in spirometry or FeNO levels in either group.
• The treatment group reported a statistically significant improvement in most quality of life parameters.

Conclusions:

• This pilot study indicates potential benefits of halotherapy in salt rooms for children with mild asthma.
• Specifically, halotherapy may improve BHR and quality of life.
• Larger randomized controlled trials with extended follow-up are recommended to validate these findings.