Efficacy of home based pulmonary rehabilitation program on pulmonary functions and quality of life in asthmatic children

To Investigate The Efficacy Of Home Based -Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program On Pulmonary Functions And Quality Of Life In Asthmatic Children

28 (twenty eight) children with mild persistent or moderate asthma were included into a double blind, randomised study. 16 (Sixteen) children (9 girls, 7 boys) with the mean age of 10.8 ± 2.3 were assigned to receive pulmonary rehabilitation program with their parents for 30 days (group I). Control group included 12 children (6 girls, 6 boys) with the mean age of 10.2 ± 2.4 (group II). Symptom and medication scores quality of life index and pulmonary function tests were evaluated in rehabilitation and control group in the beginning of the study and after the one month period.

The groups did not differ on all parameters before the study (p > 0.05). Statistically significant decrease were found in symptom and medication scores in rehabilitation group (p < 0.05) and quality of life index was increased significantly in the same group (p < 0.05). Pulmonary function measures also significantly improved including vital capacity, forced vital capacity, FEV1, PEF and FEF in the rehabilitation group (p < 0.05). The best 25–75 improvement were seen in FEF_25–75 (10.09% increase) and PEF (7.81% increase) values. In control group no statistically significant differences were found in all parameters.

This study was shown that pulmonary rehabilitation at home could improve quality of life and pulmonary functions. So pulmonary rehabilitation should be placed as a component of management in childhood asthma.