Background: Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease characterized by airflow limitation, reduced exercise tolerance, and impaired quality of life. Breathing-based physiotherapeutic interventions are commonly used as adjuncts to pharmacological management, yet comparative evidence between specific techniques remains limited.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of breathing control technique with positive expiratory pressure (PEP) device versus diaphragmatic breathing exercise with PEP device on functional capacity, pulmonary function, and quality of life in adults with bronchial asthma.
Methods: Forty adults with clinically diagnosed moderate bronchial asthma were randomly allocated into two groups: Group A (breathing control technique with PEP device, n=20) and Group B (diaphragmatic breathing exercise with PEP device, n=20). Both groups underwent supervised intervention sessions three times per week for eight weeks. Outcome measures included Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), assessed pre- and post-intervention. Within-group comparisons were analyzed using paired t-tests, and between-group differences were analyzed using independent samples t-tests at a significance level of p<0.05.
Results: Both groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in 6MWT, PEFR, and AQLQ scores following intervention (p<0.001). Group A showed significantly greater post-intervention improvements compared to Group B across all outcome measures (p<0.05). The mean difference in 6MWT and PEFR indicated a moderate-to-large effect size favoring breathing control technique with PEP.
Conclusion: Both breathing control and diaphragmatic breathing exercises combined with PEP device are effective adjunct interventions in bronchial asthma rehabilitation. However, breathing control technique with PEP demonstrated superior improvements in functional capacity, pulmonary function, and quality of life. These findings support its preferential inclusion in pulmonary rehabilitation programs for adults with bronchial asthma.
Keywords: Bronchial asthma; Breathing control; Diaphragmatic breathing; Positive expiratory pressure; Pulmonary rehabilitation
How to cite this article: Nandhagopal KK, Janakiraman B, Ranganathan P, Karthikeyan S, Comparative Effects Of Breathing Control Technique Versus Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise Combined With Positive Expiratory Pressure In Adults With Bronchial Asthma: A Randomized Comparative Trial. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(2s): 915-918; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.915-918