Effects of yoga breathing exercises on pulmonary function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: an exploratory analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy in children, and children with DMD die prematurely because of respiratory failure. We sought to determine the efficacy and safety of yoga breathing exercises, as well as the effects of those exercises on respiratory function, in such children.


METHODS
This was a prospective open-label study of patients with a confirmed diagnosis of DMD, recruited from among those followed at the neurology outpatient clinic of a university hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Participants were taught how to perform hatha yoga breathing exercises and were instructed to perform the exercises three times a day for 10 months.


RESULTS
Of the 76 patients who entered the study, 35 dropped out and 15 were unable to perform the breathing exercises, 26 having therefore completed the study (mean age, 9.5 ± 2.3 years; body mass index, 18.2 ± 3.8 kg/m(2)). The yoga breathing exercises resulted in a significant increase in FVC (% of predicted: 82.3 ± 18.6% at baseline vs. 90.3 ± 22.5% at 10 months later; p = 0.02) and FEV1 (% of predicted: 83.8 ± 16.6% at baseline vs. 90.1 ± 17.4% at 10 months later; p = 0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Yoga breathing exercises can improve pulmonary function in patients with DMD.
Sports Center, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Marcos Rojo
MR
Rodrigues
Sports Center, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Celso Ricardo Fernandes
CR
Carvalho
Sports Center, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Danilo Forghieri
DF
Santaella
Sports Center, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Geraldo
G
Lorenzi-Filho
Sports Center, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Suely Kazue Nagahashi
SK
Marie
D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D015013:Yoga