Effectiveness of Anthroposophic Speech Therapy in Patients With Asthma
- Conditions
- Asthma
- Interventions
- Other: anthroposophic therapeutic speech
- Registration Number
- NCT02501824
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Bern
- Brief Summary
Anthroposophic therapeutic speech is a complementary method that indirectly influences breathing and uses specific vowels, consonants, syllables and metres depending on the indication. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of anthroposophic therapeutic speech in patients with asthma regarding clinical and physiological parameters, asthma control and quality of life.
- Detailed Description
Background
Breathing retraining techniques receive increased attention in the management of asthma, since the evidence for safety and usefulness of such procedures is growing. Physiotherapist-guided breathing programs, such as the Papworth method and the Buteyko method, are most systematically investigated and hence yield the best evidence of effectiveness.
Active breathing modulation techniques are frequently assigned to complementary and alternative medicine CAM, comprising of a variety of systems and modalities other than the politically dominant healthcare system.
However, patients may take a different perspective, since the prevalence of CAM use in the treatment of asthma is at a level of 20-30% among adults and 50 - 60% for children, even if rigorous estimates are being applied.
Anthroposophic therapeutic speech applies sounds and syllabic rhythm, e.g. the hexameter, for improving articulation, breathing and cardiorespiratory interaction. The method has been used for many years as a breathing retraining method for asthma in all settings. This study is the first to systematically investigate the effects of ATS in asthma patients in a real-life outpatient setting.
Objective
The following hypotheses are tested: i) anthroposophic therapeutic speech improves relevant parameters of pulmonary function in patients with asthma. ii) anthroposophic therapeutic speech reduces the use of as-needed medication in patients with asthma. iii) anthroposophic therapeutic speech improves asthma control and quality of life in patients with asthma.
Methods
The study is a randomised, controlled, multicentre, 2-period cross-over clinical trial conducted at 3 centres in Switzerland and Germany. Participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 allocation ratio to either firstly receive 11 speech therapy sessions or to wait (control), followed by a cross-over to the other group.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 49
- Signed informed consent
- Age ≥ 12 years
- Asthma ≥ 1 year
- Inhaling β2 agonist ≥ once weekly
Exclusion Criteria
- Not willing to perform therapy actively
- Insufficient general condition for active therapy
- COPD
- Coronary heart disease
- Oral corticosteroids
- Pregnancy
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- CROSSOVER
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description speech therapy second anthroposophic therapeutic speech 10 weeks of waiting, then 11 sessions of speech therapy (anthroposophic therapeutic speech) speech therapy first anthroposophic therapeutic speech 11 sessions of speech therapy (anthroposophic therapeutic speech), then waiting phase
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change from baseline in Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire 24 weeks
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Inhaled corticosteroids in μg according to patient's diary Daily until study end, expected to be 24 weeks Change from baseline in spirometry 12 weeks and 24 weeks Asthma Control Test Every 4 weeks until study end, expected to be 24 weeks Peak expiratory flow in L/min Daily until study end, expected to be 24 weeks Measured with peak flow meter
Days without asthma exacerbation Daily until study end, expected to be 24 weeks
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Institute of Complementary Medicine, University of Bern
🇨🇭Bern, Switzerland