Evaluation of the effectiveness of respiratory rehabilitation in asthmatic patients

Abstract

Bronchial asthma is a common and complex disease characterized by airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and airflow obstruction. The benefits achieved by asthmatic patients after the completion of a respiratory physiotherapy program are innumerable and the most important is the decrease in the frequency of acute attacks and a better quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation slows the worsening of asthma and help patients to prevent their crisis. A prospective observational study was conducted Escambray Kurhotel from August to December 2010 with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of a rehabilitation treatment of bronchial asthma. This paper is the result of a pilot test that was conducted in order to design a comprehensive rehabilitation program in patients with asthma, and which was subsequently evaluated by experts. The results of the treatment by age group showed that the highest percentages of improvement were in those patients over 70 years (100%) and under 30 (90%). Regarding the application of treatments – exercise, exercise and humid therapy, and exercise, humid therapy and physical means – 95.2% of the patients who received the combination of the three treatments improved, as did 41.7% of those receiving two therapies. The difference between the initial lung function test and the last showed a slight improvement in 52 patients, moderate improvement in 11, good in two and very good in one patient.

Keywords

• asma/rehabilitación
• proyectos piloto