title: Is there an association between postural balance and pulmonary function in adults with asthma?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asthma may cause systemic repercussions due to its severity and the effects of treatment. Our objective was to compare posture, balance, functional capacity, and quality of life (QOL) according to the severity of disease, as assessed by pulmonary function levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study evaluated fifty individuals with asthma. We compared two groups of adult individuals who were divided according to the median of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) as follows: group A  =  FEV1>74% predicted; group B  =  FEV1<74% predicted. All patients underwent the following tests: spirometry, whole-body plethysmography, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco), respiratory muscle strength, posture assessment, stabilometry, six-minute walking distance (6MWD), and QOL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All pulmonary function variables exhibited statistically significant differences between the two groups, except for the DLco. The maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and 6MWD were lower in group B. The maximal mediolateral velocity and the mediolateral displacement were significantly different, while the postural changes and QOL were similar between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In adult individuals with asthma, the pulmonary function is associated with balance control in the mediolateral direction but does not influence the postural changes or QOL.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Science Graduate Program, Augusto Motta University, Rio de JaneiroRJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vívian Pinto de
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Fernando Silva
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Vanessa Joaquim Ribeiro
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Moço
authors.forename: Arthur de Sá
authors.initials: Ade S
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Sara Lucia Silveira de
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Agnaldo José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D012119:Respiration; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult