High-intensity aerobic exercise training improves exercise capacity, dyspnea, and fatigue in patients with severe...

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of people worldwide and causes severe symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and breathing difficulty. Despite modern treatments, 3%-10% of patients develop severe asthma, which requires high-dose medications, and they may still experience frequent and severe symptoms, exacerbations, and psychological impacts. This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-intensity aerobic exercise training (HIAET) in patients with severe asthma.

Patients with severe asthma were recruited, and cardiopulmonary exercise tests, dyspnea, and leg fatigue scores were performed before HIAET. Participants underwent a 12-week hospital-based HIAET, which involved exercising twice weekly to reach 80% of their peak oxygen uptake (VO₂).

Eighteen patients with severe asthma underwent HIAET, which resulted in significant improvement in peak VO₂ (1214.0 ± 297.9-1349.4 ± 311.2 mL/min, P = 0.004) and work rate (80.6 ± 21.2-96.2 ± 24.8 watt, P < 0.001) and decrease in dyspnea (5.1 ± 1.8-4.1 ± 1.2, P = 0.017) and fatigue scores (5.2 ± 2.3-4.0 ± 1.2, P = 0.020) at peak exercise. No significant changes were observed in spirometry results, respiratory muscle strength, or circulatory parameters.

HIAET can lead to improved exercise capacity and reduced dyspnea and fatigue scores at peak exercise without changes in spirometry, respiratory muscle strength, and circulatory parameters.