Comparative Study of Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training and Incentive Spirometer on Ventilatory Function in Postmenopausal Asthmatic Women

Bronchial asthma is a significant medical issue all through the world which arrives at the epidemic proportions as its prevalence has increased over the last decades. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been shown to improve inspiratory muscle function, lung volumes, work capacity. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and incentive spirometer on ventilatory functions in postmenopausal asthmatic women. Participants and methods: A total of forty postmenopausal women suffering from asthma, their ages ranged from 50 to 60 years old, and their body mass index of the patient don't exceed 30kg/m2. They were recruited from the outpatient chest clinic in Kasr El-Ainy Teaching Hospital, Cairo University, Egypt. They signed a consent form, confidentiality was assured. They assigned into two groups (A) who received inspiratory muscle training in the form of: Inspiratory threshold muscle training in addition to traditional chest physical therapy intervention (Deep breath, cough training) while patients in group (B): received traditional chest physical therapy intervention and incentive spirometer, three sessions per week for six weeks. Patients in both groups were assessed before treatment (pre-training) then after treatment (post-training) (after 6 weeks) to measure the lung functions using electronic spirometer. The training program was carried in the duration from June 2019 to December 2019. Results: The analysis of the results showed that pulmonary functions in postmenopausal women significantly improved using inspiratory muscle trainer than using incentive spirometer as it was indicated by improvements in FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC and MVV in the group (A) than in group (B). Conclusion: It could be concluded that inspiratory muscle training in patients with postmenopausal asthma improved ventilatory function by improving ventilatory muscle strength and endurance pattern and reduced symptoms in patients with asthma by increasing FVC and overall lung volume.