Effectiveness of Inspiratory muscle training in patients with mild to severe asthma

Mild to severe asthmatics who satisfy the study criteria will be consented and randomly allocated into 2 groups-the study group (76 patients) who will receive specific inspiratory muscle training(IMT) and the control group (76 patients). Subjects in both groups will be trained with 2 supervised sessions during the first week, followed by one supervised session per week for a period of 6 weeks, with each session consisting of 0.5 h of training. The subjects in study group will receive specific inspiratory muscle training (SIMT) with a threshold inspiratory muscle trainer. The subjects will start breathing at a resistance level equal to 30% of their PI max for 1 week. They will be instructed to use the trainer at home for half an hour, daily. The resistance will be increased incrementally, by 5 to 10% each supervised session. Patients in group B will receive sham training with the threshold inspiratory muscle trainer with no resistance and they will also have weekly supervised session. All patients will receive standard pharmacotherapy prescribed by the Physician.  An informed consent will be obtained from each patient.xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /

Assessments will be made before and immediately after 6 weeks of training. Asthma control will be measured using Asthma Control Test (ACT)and quality of life will be measured using  St. George Respiratory Disease Questionnaire(SGRQ). Patients will maintain an asthma diary for daily symptoms and PEFR will be measured. Lung function test will be performed using a computerized Spirometry and respiratory muscle strength will be assessed by measuring the maximal inspiratory mouth pressures (PI max). The test would be performed using Jaeger Viasys 5.0 system as per American Thoracic Society(ATS) criteria. The 6 minute walk test will be administered in a 30 m corridor in accordance with the guidelines recommended by ATS.