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The Buteyko breathing technique in children with asthma: a randomized controlled pilot study
Jan Vagedes1, Eduard Helmert2, Silja Kuderer2
1ARCIM Institute, Filderstadt, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, Filderklinik, Filderstadt, Germany; Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Insights
The Buteyko breathing technique (BBT) shows promise for improving asthma control in children, enhancing lung function and parental emotional well-being. However, it did not significantly reduce medication use in this preliminary study.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Respiratory Medicine
- Breathing Techniques
- Asthma Management
Background:
- Limited evidence exists on the Buteyko breathing technique (BBT) for pediatric asthma.
- Previous studies in adults suggest BBT improves asthma control and quality of life, with minimal impact on spirometry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of BBT in managing various aspects of asthma in children.
- To assess BBT's impact on medication use, lung function, and quality of life in pediatric asthma patients.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 32 children (aged 6-15) with partly controlled asthma.
- Children received either Treatment as Usual (TAU) or TAU plus an intensive 5-day BBT program followed by 3 months of home practice.
- Primary outcome was bronchodilator reduction; secondary outcomes included spirometry, FeNO, SpO2, breath-hold tests, and validated asthma questionnaires.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in bronchodilator reduction between groups.
- The Buteyko group showed significant improvements in FEV1 at rest (FEV1_AR) and after ergometry (FEV1_ER).
- The Pediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ) emotional function subscale significantly improved in the Buteyko group.
Conclusions:
- Adding BBT to standard asthma treatment may enhance spirometry outcomes and parental emotional function in children.
- BBT did not lead to short-term reductions in asthma medication for children.
- Further research is needed to confirm long-term effects and optimal integration of BBT in pediatric asthma care.
Background:
Evidence supports the Buteyko breathing technique (BBT) as reducing medication and improving control and quality of life in adults with asthma, but having minimal impact on spirometry. For children with asthma, evidence addressing the utility of BBT is sparse. We evaluated the effectiveness of BBT in managing various aspects of asthma in children.
Methods:
Thirty-two children with partly controlled asthma (age 6-15 years, 66% male) were randomized to either Treatment as Usual (TAU) or TAU combined with Buteyko training (Buteyko group, BG). Children in the BG received an intensive five-day training followed by three months of home practice. Primary outcome was bronchodilator reduction. Secondary outcomes were changes in physiological parameters FEV1_AR (at rest), FEV1_ER (after ergometry), FEV1_BR (after bronchospasmolysis), corticosteroid use, FeNO, SpO2, breath-hold test and questionnaire data [Asthma Control Questionnaire and Pediatric Asthma Caregiver's Quality of Life Questionnaire (PACQLQ)]. All measures were collected at Baseline and a three-month follow-up.
Results:
For the primary outcome, no significant between-group difference was found. Regarding the secondary outcomes, children receiving treatment augmented with BBT revealed significantly greater improvement at the follow-up than those receiving TAU for FEV1_AR (p = .04, d=-0.50), FEV1_ER (p = .02, d=-0.52), and the emotional function subscale of the PACQLQ (p < .01, d = 1.03). No between-group differences were found for the remaining secondary measures of outcome.
Conclusions:
Our preliminary findings suggest that the addition of BBT to treatment as usual for children with asthma enhances outcomes with respect to spirometry and parental emotional function but does not lead to reductions in medication, at least over the short term.
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