The comparison between pulmonary rehabilitation with music therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation alone on respiratory drive, cortisol level and asthma control in patients hospitalized with asthma exacerbation

Acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma with infective focus treated with holistic Ayurveda approach: A case report

While there are numerous published clinical trials investigating the efficacy of Ayurveda in managing bronchial asthma, a paucity of published case reports, case series, or randomized controlled trials (RCTs) concerning Basti (medicated enema) therapy in conjunction with Dhumapana (fumigation therapy) exists on PubMed.This scarcity of data hinders the comprehensive evaluation of this specific Ayurvedic approach for asthma management. A 69-year-old female patient with a known case of bronchial asthma and hypertension presented with complaints of breathlessness on and off for 3 years, cough, urgency of micturition, constipation for 7 days, and fever for 3 days. The patient was treated according to the treatment principles of Tamakshwas (bronchial asthma) and Jwara (fever). Basti, Dhumapana, and oral Ayurvedic formulations were administered. Significant improvements in symptoms, the mMRC dyspnea scale, and the pulmonary function test were observed. This case provides new insight into clinical diagnosis and management through gut modulation in respiratory diseases and vice versa.

Kinesiotherapy and physical activity in COPD and Asthma Patients – A Review

Background: Obstructive chronic diseases are a continuous challenge for healthcare perfusionists all over the world. Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are the most frequent of these diseases. Respiratory or pulmonary rehabilitation started to gain momentum and it is more frequently used to improve muscle strength, cardiac and respiratory endurance and joint flexibility. The objective of this paper is to establish the current programs of physical activity or kinesiotherapy used in the past year and to reveal if there are any gaps or mismatches in the development of the program or in the instruments used to quantify the results of the rehabilitation programs. Materials and methods: We reviewed a total number of 12 articles, randomized control trials using the search words kinesiotherapy, physical therapy, COPD and asthma from the last year on PubMed.gov, from 11 different countries in order to establish which have similar types of exercises, parameters used in order to compare results and which were the outcomes. Results: The final results are positive, although it is hard to determine a unity because there were so many different parameters used to monitor the patients. The most frequent parameter was the 6MWT used to compare the effectiveness of the physical program in 6 studies. Discussion and conclusions: This review had its limitation in comparing the 12 articles researched because of the different number of patients, the various physical activity and rehabilitation exercises used, but especially because of the many varieties of scales and scores used to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment. In order to successfully compare such papers, an international guideline is necessary to relay specific rehabilitation programs for every type of respiratory pathology and also which are the most recommended scales or scores or parameters in general to asses such rehabilitation programs. Keywords: kinesiotherapy; physical activity; physical therapy; COPD, asthma

Combined effect of pulmonary rehabilitation and music therapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

[Purpose] We aimed to analyze parameters of pulmonary function and physiological, psychological, and physical factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receiving pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) and music therapy (MT). [Participants and Methods] This randomized crossover comparative study included in-patients diagnosed with COPD and a ratio of forced expiratory volume measured at the first second and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) of <70% after administration of a bronchodilator. Patients were randomly divided into two groups that received either PR only or MT and PR (n=13 each). The PR program included conditioning, respiratory muscle training, and endurance training, whereas the MT program included vocal, singing, and breathing exercises using a keyboard harmonica. The programs lasted 8 weeks, in which pre- and post-intervention data were compared every 4 weeks. [Results] The FEV1/FVC in the MT group improved after the intervention. Expiratory volume control was obtained better with feedback by sound than with expiration practice. In the MT and PR program, it was easier to adjust the timing and volume of breathing, obtain expiratory volume control, and, thus, improve FEV1/FVC than in conventional practice. [Conclusion] Combining MT with PR improves parameters of pulmonary function in patients with COPD. Music therapy is a novel approach that, in combination with PR, may be used in COPD management.