Effect of Buteyko breathing technique and Pranayama on bio-physiological and biochemical parameters in bronchial asthma.

Life Sciences-Nursing

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by airway inflammation and bronchial hyperresponsiveness,significantly affecting patients' quality of life. Breathing techniques such as the Buteyko method and Pranayama (yoga breathing) areincreasingly being explored for their potential to complement conventional asthma management by improving physiological andbiochemical parameters. This pilot study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the Buteyko breathing technique versusPranayama on physiological and biochemical parameters among patients with bronchial asthma. A quantitative research approachand quasi-experimental research design were adopted. Twelve bronchial asthma patients meeting the inclusion criteria weredivided into three groups: Buteyko (n=4), Pranayama (n=4), and Control (n=4). Pretests assessed pulmonary function, heart rate,respiratory rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation (SaO2), biochemical markers (total count, eosinophil count, absolute eosinophilcount, IgE), asthma control, and quality of life. The intervention spanned 8 weeks, with Buteyko and Pranayama groups practicingtheir respective techniques, while the control group received routine hospital treatment. Posttests were conducted in the 4th and8th weeks. Statistical analysis using SigmaPlot 14.5 revealed no significant differences in biochemical markers among groups(P=0.821), but significant improvements were observed across pretests and posttests (P<0.001). Both Buteyko and Pranayamashowed notable improvements in asthma control and quality of life by Posttest 2 (P<0.0001), although changes remained withinclinical limits. These findings suggest that breathing techniques can enhance asthma management and improve patient outcomes,warranting further investigation in larger studies.