The effects of breathing retraining on dyspnoea measures and the six minute walking distance in patients with interstitial lung diseases

Abstract

One of the most common symptoms experienced in patients with a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) is shortness of breath which greatly affects their abilities to carry out activities of daily living. As most studies show, breathing retraining is said to lead to improvements in dyspnoea and walking distance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Evidence regarding the effects of such an intervention on reducing dyspnoea in ILD patients is lacking. In view of this, the aims of such a study were to identify whether breathing retraining led to better management of dyspnoea in ILD patients which in turn could help lead to less use of medical services to help manage their dyspnoea levels. Twenty Seven ILD patients were randomly distributed to either the control group (n=15) which received a 12week PR programme without breathing retraining or the active group (n=12) which received a 12week PR programme with breathing retraining. All patients had both their exercise tolerance using the 6-minute walk test and their level of breathlessness assessed at baseline and at 4 weekly intervals for a 12week period throughout the programme. Results from such a study show that a 12week PR programme with breathing retraining resulted in improved dyspnoea scores at rest, measures which increased for the control group and higher percentage changes for dyspnoea scores on exertion, and the 6MWD in the active group. As a conclusion, breathing retraining in a group of ILD patients resulted in clinically significant improvements in both dyspnoea measures and the six-minute walking distance.