title: Inspiratory muscle training and respiratory exercises in children with asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects that inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and respiratory exercises have on muscle strength, peak expiratory flow (PEF) and severity variables in children with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a randomized analytical study involving 50 children with asthma allocated to one of two groups: an IMT group, comprising 25 children submitted to IMT via an asthma education and treatment program; and a control group, comprising 25 children who were submitted only to monthly medical visits and education on asthma. The IMT was performed using a pressure threshold load of 40% of maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). The results were evaluated using analysis of variance, the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, values of p > 0.05 being considered significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the comparative analysis, pre- and post-intervention values of MIP, maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) and PEF increased significantly in the IMT group: MIP from -;48.32 +/- 5.706 to -;109.92 +/- 18.041 (p < 0.0001); MEP from 50.64 +/- 6.55 to 82.04 +/- 17.006 (p < 0.0001); and PEF from 173.6 +/- 50.817 to 312 +/- 54.848 (p < 0.0001). In the control group, however, there were no significant differences between the two time points in terms of MIP or MEP, although PEF increased from 188 +/- 43.97 to 208.80 +/- 44.283 (p < 0.0001). There was a significant improvement in the severity variables in the IMT group (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Programs involving IMT and respiratory exercises can increase mechanical efficiency of the respiratory muscles, as well as improving PEF and severity variables.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade Santa Terezinha - CEST, Santa Terezinha College - São Luís, Brazil. elicrispim@oi.com.br
authors.forename: Elisângela Veruskanóbrega Crispim Leite
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Willy Leite
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Adner
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nobre
authors.forename: Alcione Miranda
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.forename: Luciane Maria Oliveira
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brito
authors.forename: Maria do Rosário da Silva Ramos
authors.initials: Mdo R
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D002648:Child; D045853:Exhalation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008448:Maximal Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index