Top

Published in:

01-06-2012 | REVIEW

Effects of regular exercise on adult asthma

Authors: Sirpa A. M. Heikkinen, Reginald Quansah, Jouni J. K. Jaakkola, Maritta S. Jaakkola

Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology | Issue 6/2012

Abstract

Although many guidelines recommend regular exercise for adults with asthma, the empirical evidence on the effect of exercise on adult asthma has been inconsistent and there are no previous systematic reviews on this topic. To fill in this gap of knowledge, we synthesized the data on the effects of regular exercise on physical fitness, asthma control and quality of life of adult asthmatics. We performed a Medline search from 1980 through June 2011. In the systematic review we included all clinical trials that provided information on the effects of regular exercise on adult asthma. We conducted meta-analyses of maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) based on 9 studies. A total of 11 studies were included in the analyses, but only 6 of them had a non-exercising reference group of asthmatics. The meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials showed that regular exercise significantly improved VO₂max. There was no obvious improvement in lung function measurements. Some individual studies showed evidence of improvement in quality of life and asthma control. Meta-analyses provided evidence that regular physical exercise improves physical fitness of adult asthmatics. The results on effects on lung function were inconclusive. There is insufficient evidence to assess the effects of exercise on asthma control and quality of life.

Masoli M, Fabian D, Holt S, Beasley R. The global burden of asthma: executive summary of the GINA Dissemination Committee Report. Allergy. 2004;59:469–78.PubMedCrossRef

Mancuso CA, Sayles W, Robbins R, Phillips EG, Ravnell K, Duffy C, Wenderoth S, Charlson ME. Barriers and facilitators to healthy physical activity in asthma patients. J Asthma. 2006;43:137–43.PubMedCrossRef

Weiler JM, Bonini S, Coifman R, Delgado L, Capao-Filipe M, Passali D, Randolph C, Storms W. Ad Hoc Committee of Sports Medicine Committee of American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Work Group report: exercise-induced asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007;119:349–58.CrossRef

Garcia-Aymerich J, Varraso R, Anto JM, Camargo CA Jr. Prospective study of physical activity and risk of asthma exacerbations in older women. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009;179:999–1003.PubMedCrossRef

Garcia-Aymerich J, Lange P, Benet M, Schnohr P, Anto JM. Regular physical activity modifies smoking-related lung function decline and reduces risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population-based cohort study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007;175:458–63.PubMedCrossRef

Jadad AR, Moore AR, Carroll D, Jenkinson C, Reynolds JM, Gavaghan DJ, McQuay HJ. Assessing the quality of reports of randomized clinical trials: is blinding necessary? Controlled Clinial Trials. 1996;17:1–12.CrossRef

Verhagen AP, de Vet HC, de Bie RA, Kessels AG, Boers M, Bouter LM, Knipschild PG. The Delphi List: a criteria list for quality assessment or randomized clinical trials for conducting systematic reviews developed by Delphi Consensus. J Clin Epidemiol. 1998;51:235–41.

Borenstein M, Hedges LV, Higgins JPT, Rothstein HR. Introduction to meta-analysis. Wiley-Blackwell. A John Wiley & Sons Ltd. United Kingdom: West Sussex; 2009. pp 21–30.

Follmann D, Elliott P, Suh I, Cutler J. Variance imputation for overviews of clinical trials with continuous response. J Clin Epidemiol. 1992;45:769–73.PubMedCrossRef

10.

Higgins JPT, Green S. Cochrane Handbook for systematic reviews of interventions. Wiley-Blackwell. A John Wiley & Sons Ltd. United Kingdom: West Sussex; 2010. pp 172–177.

11.

Quansah R, Jaakkola JJK. Occupational exposures and adverse pregnancy outcomes among nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Womens Health. 2010;19:1851–62.

12.

Dogra S, Kuk JL, Baker J, Jamnik V. Exercise is associated with improved asthma control in adults. Eur Respir J. 2011;37:318–23.PubMedCrossRef

13.

Bundgaard A, Ingemann-Hansen T, Halkjaer-Kristensen J, Schmidt A, Bloch I, Andersen PK. Short-term physical training in bronchial asthma. Br J Dis Chest. 1983;77:147–52.PubMedCrossRef

14.

Bundgaard A, Ingemann-Hansen T, Schmidt A, Halkjaer-Kristensen J. Effect of physical training on peak oxygen consumption rate and exercise-induced asthma in adult asthmatics. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1982;42:9–13.PubMedCrossRef

15.

Cochrane LM, Clark CJ. Benefits and problems of a physical training programme for asthmatic patients. Thorax. 1990;45:345–51.PubMedCrossRef

16.

Emtner M, Herala M, Stålenheim G. High intensity physical training in adults with asthma. A 10-week rehabilitation program. Chest. 1996;109:323–30.PubMedCrossRef

17.

Freeman W, Nute MG, Williams C. The effect of endurance running training on asthmatic adults. Br J Sports Med. 1989;23:115–22.PubMedCrossRef

18.

Girodo M, Ekstrand KA, Metivier GJ. Deep diaphragmatic breathing: rehabilitation exercises for the asthmatic patient. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1992;73:717–20.PubMed

19.

Mendes FA, Concalves RC, Nunes MP, Saraiva-Romanholo BM, Cukier A, Stelmach R, Jacop-Filho W, Martins MA, Carvalho CR. Effects of aerobic training on psychosocial morbidity and symptoms in patients with asthma. Chest. 2010;138:331–7.PubMedCrossRef

20.

Meyer A, Wendt G, Taube K, Greten H. Physical training of adult asthmatics can increase fitness and reduce hospitalisation days. Pneumologie. 1997;51:845–9.PubMed

21.

Robinson DM, Egglestone MB, Hill PM, Rea HH, Richards GN. Effects of a physical conditioning programme on asthmatic patients. N Z Med J. 1992;105:253–6.PubMed

22.

Hallstrand TS, Bates PW, Schoene RB. Aerobic conditioning in mild asthma decreases the hyperpnea of exercise and improves exercise and ventilatory capacity. Chest. 2000;118:460–9.CrossRef

23.

Arandelovic M, Stankovic I, Nikolic M. Swimming and persons with mild persistent asthma. Sci World J. 2007;7:182–8.CrossRef

24.

Global Initiative for Asthma. Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute for Health: Global strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention. Bethesda MD; 2006.

25.

National Asthma Education and Prevention Program: National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. Expert panel report 2: guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda MD: National Institutes of Health, April 1997; Publication No. 97-4051A.

26.

International Consensus Report of Asthma: Internationaler Konsensus-Bericht zur Diagnose und Behandlung des Asthma bronchiale. Pneumologie. 1993; 47 (issue 2).

27.

Woolcock A, Rubinfield AR, Seale JP, Antic R, Mitchell C, Rea HH, Zimmerman P. Thoracic society of Australia and New Zealand. Asthma management plan, 1989. Med J Aust. 1989;151:650–3.PubMed

28.

Juniper EF, O’Byrne PM, Guyatt GH, Ferrie PJ, King DR. Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure asthma control. Eur Respir J. 1999;14:902–7.PubMedCrossRef

29.

Juniper EF, Gyuatt GH, Cox FM, Ferrie PJ, King DR. Development and validation of the mini asthma quality of life questionnaire. Eur Respir J. 1999;14:32–8.PubMedCrossRef

30.

De Oliveira MA, Barbiere A, Santos LA, Faresin SM, Fernandes AL. Validation of a simplified quality-of-life questionnaire for socioeconomically deprived asthma patients. J Asthma. 2005;42:41–4.PubMedCrossRef

31.

Lucas SR, Platts-Mills TAE. Physical activity and exercise in asthma: relevance to etiology and treatment. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005;115:928–34.PubMedCrossRef

32.

Moller NC, Ostergaard L, Gade JR, Nielsen JL, Andersen LB. The effect on cardiorespiratory fitness after an 8-week period of commuter cycling—a randomized controlled study in adults. Prev Med. 2011;53:172–7.PubMedCrossRef

33.

Nystad W, Samuelsen SO, Nafstad P, Langhammer A. Association between level of physical activity and lung function among Norwegian men and women: the HUNT study. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2006;10:399–405.

34.

Moher D, Hopewell S, Schulz KF, Montrori V, Gotzsche PC, Devereaux PJ, Elbourne D, Egger M, Altman DG. CONSORT 2010 explanation and elaboration: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomized trials. J Clin Epidemiol. 2010;63:1–37.CrossRef

35.

Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. Int J Surg. 2010;8:336–41.PubMedCrossRef

36.

Ram FS, Robinson MS, Black PN. Effects of physical training in asthma: a systematic review. Br J Sports Med. 2000;34:162–7.PubMedCrossRef

37.

American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. 7 th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2005.

38.

Mendes FA, Almeida FM, Cukier A, Steinmach R, Jacob-Filho W, Martins MA, Carvalho CR. Effects of aerobic training on airway inflammation in asthmatic patients. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43:197–203.PubMed

Title: Effects of regular exercise on adult asthma
Authors: Sirpa A. M. Heikkinen
Reginald Quansah
Jouni J. K. Jaakkola
Maritta S. Jaakkola
Publication date: 01-06-2012
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
Published in: European Journal of Epidemiology / Issue 6/2012
Print ISSN: 0393-2990
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7284
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-012-9684-8

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Effects of regular exercise on adult asthma

Abstract

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 6/2012

Early respiratory morbidity in a multicultural birth cohort: the Generation R Study

Aspirin in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in the Women’s Health Study: Effect of noncompliance

A comparison of pharmacoepidemiological study designs in medication use and traffic safety research

Late retirement is not associated with increased mortality, results based on all Swedish retirements 1991–2007

Cosmic radiation and mortality from cancer among male German airline pilots: extended cohort follow-up

The Natsal-SF: a validated measure of sexual function for use in community surveys