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The role of complementary therapy (Buteyko Technique) in asthma management: a pilot and feasability study

Grant Holders

Dr ADG Baxter-Jones and Prof. PJ Helms

Funders

Grampian University Hosptials NHS Trust Endowments

Staff

Ms Ann Baird

Background

Alongside the rising prevalence of asthma and increasing public concern the use of complementary therapies are rapidly increasing in popularity. Despite the general public's interest in such therapies few well designed and properly controlled studies are available to guide health care professionals in their use. A recently introduced technique, the Buteyko Breathing Technique (BBT), is increasingly being offered by complementary therapists despite the fact that only one small randomised control study has so far been reported , the results of which are largely inconclusive and hotly debated. Anecdotal evidence from BBT practitioners suggest that the techinique is particularly effective in children and adolescents. We propose a pilot and feasibility study in order to inform the design of a definitive study. This will involve assessment of the feasibility of incorporating BBT practitioner training with conventional Asthma Nurse training and delivery of BBT within a conventional Health service setting. Intensive Asthma nurse support will be compared with BBT in subjects aged 8-13 years with moderate asthma and who have expressed an interest in BBT . Outcomes will include standardised Quality of Life scores, symptom scores, healthcare utilisation and objective measures of lung function. If the proposed study proved to be successful it would provide data to support a definitive study in a conventional Health care setting.
Our aims and objectives are therefore:

1. To establish the feasability of recruiting interested patients with moderate Asthma.
2. To pilot incorporation of BBT technique into conventional Asthma nurse training and delivery of care.
3. To identify the feasability of conducting a pragmatic randomized controlled trial of BBT using a time equivalent intensive Asthma Nurse support role as the 'control ' therapy.

Subjects

14 children affected with asthma.

Methods

After a 4-week run-in to establish stability of asthma, subjects are randomly allocated to receive intensive conventional asthma education or to undergo a Buteyko course. In all cases, subjects continue under the care of their GP's and treatment is in accord with the British Asthma Management Guidelines. Assessments of lung function, symptoms, quality of life, medication usage, and use of health services are recorded at study entry and reassessed at four weeks post course and at three months. Assessments are carried out by a research nurse who is external to the project and blind to the allocated treatments. At the end of the study, the subjects initially randomized to intensive nurse education are offered BBT.