Effects of breathing training on respiratory muscle efficiency, pain, health-related quality of life and intake of drugs in sedentary women with fibromyalgia

ISRCTN ISRCTN37081460
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN37081460
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
11/09/2012
Registration date
27/10/2014
Last edited
16/04/2018
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition of unknown cause in which patients suffer from a variety of symptoms, such as pain, muscle weakness, or tiredness. Muscle weakness can also affect the heart and lung muscles and thus can lead to poor quality of life. We want to see how well the breathing training works in increasing the strength of the lung muscles and also in alleviating symptoms such as pain and tiredness.

Who can participate?
Adult women who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia

What does the study involve?
Women were randomly allocated to one of two groups: experimental or control group. Women in the experimental group received 12 weeks of breathing training, while the control group did not receive the training. We checked the effectiveness of the breathing technique at the start of the study, after 12 weeks and immediately after the end of the training.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Not provided at time of registration

Where is the study run from?
Not provided at time of registration

When is study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2012 to April 2012

Who is funding the study?
University of Évora (Portugal)

Who is the main contact?
Prof Pablo Tomas-Carus
ptc@uevora.pt

Contact information

Prof Pablo Tomas-Carus
Scientific

University of Évora
Department of Sports and Health
Research Centre in Sports Sciences
Health and Human Development
Évora
7000-671
Portugal

Study information

Study designSingle-centre interventional randomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleA randomised controlled trial investigating the effects of 12 weeks of breathing training techniques on respiratory muscle efficiency, pain, health-related quality of life and intake of drugs in sedentary women with fibromyalgia
Study objectives1. 12 weeks of breathing training may lead to changes in respiratory muscle efficiency, pain and health-related quality of life, and intake of drugs of sedentary women with fibromyalgia
2. Gains in respiratory muscle efficiency are related to improvements in pain intensity of tender points and self-reported pain of sedentary women with fibromyalgia
3. Gains in respiratory muscle efficiency are related to improvements in health-related quality of life and reduced intake of specific drugs of sedentary women with fibromyalgia
4. Gains in respiratory muscle efficiency are related to reduction of intake of specific drugs of sedentary women with fibromyalgia
Ethics approval(s)University of Évora Ethics Committee, June 2012, ref: 1200
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedSyndrome of fibromyalgia
InterventionThe breathing therapy consisted of 30 minutes/session for 7-times/week (1-time supervised by an expert in breathing training techniques, and 6-times unsupervised at home with regard to audiovisual training) and for 12 weeks. Each session included five breathing exercises (3 minutes for each) were used in the form of circuit: an exercise on awareness of breathing, an exercise on costal expansion, and three exercises on diaphragmatic breathing. This circuit was performed twice, with a total time of 30 minutes per session
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureThe primary endpoint with respect to effects of breathing training techniques on respiratory muscle efficiency. Therefore, the functional respiratory examination was measured with global body plestimograph. The standard parameters of ventilatory pattern were recorded: minute ventilation (VE), respiratory frequency (f), tidal volume (VT) and the ratio of inspiratory and the total times (Ti/Ttot). In the study of muscle efficiency, two parameters were monitored: the maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum occlusion pressure (P0.1). The maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) was measured as a component of the study of evaluation of respiratory muscles. Measurements were taken at baseline and post-intervention at 12 weeks.
Secondary outcome measures1. Pain was evaluated by the rheumatologist as follows:
1.1. Pain in tender points with digital dolorimeter
1.2. Widespread pain index (WPI) and total symptom severity (SS) by applying the 2010 ACR preliminary classification criteria diagnoses of fibromyalgia
1.3. Overall pain by using a visual analog scale (VAS)
2. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated using the Portuguese language version of the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36)
3. The Portuguese version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) was used to evaluate the impact of FM on patients’ physical and mental health
4. Type and number of drugs taken in relation to fibromyalgia were recorded
Overall study start date23/01/2012
Completion date30/04/2012

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexFemale
Target number of participants48 potentially eligible, 35 gave consent (exercise group: 18; control group: 17)
Key inclusion criteria1. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia by a rheumatologist
2. Non-smokers and not consumers of alcohol
3. Age between 25 and 70 years
Key exclusion criteria1. History of severe trauma
2. Peripheral nerve entrapment
3. Inflammatory rheumatic diseases
4. Severe psychiatric illness
5. Respiratory diseases
6. Other diseases that prevent breathing training
7. Pregnancy
8. Attend to another psychological or physical therapy
Date of first enrolment23/01/2012
Date of final enrolment30/04/2012

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Portugal

Study participating centre

University of Évora
Évora
7000-671
Portugal

Sponsor information

University of Évora (Portugal)
University/education

Department of Sports and Health
Research Centre in Sports Sciences
Health and Human Development
Romão Ramalho
59 (CLV)
Évora
7000-671
Portugal

Website http://www.uevora.pt/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/02gyps716

Funders

Funder type

University/education

University of Évora (Portugal)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 01/08/2018 Yes No

Editorial Notes

16/04/2018: Publication reference added.