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A European Journal of Medical Research study has concluded that BBT is clinically effective. Despite the significant reduction of respiratory pharmacotherapy, improved symptom scores and a slight increase in bronchial volume indicate this.

Researchers examined BBT’s influence on clinical outcomes and functional parameters to better understand its impact on asthma patients.

Two groups (n = 30 each) of asthma patients were studied for three months. One group received BBT therapy, while the other received the usual treatment (UT) without BBT. Primary outcome was voluntary control pause (CP) after three months, and secondary outcomes included additional breath-hold parameters, FEV1, capnovolumetry, FeNO, ACQ, NQ, and medication use (β2-agonists; inhaled corticosteroids, ICS)

Key findings from the study are:

• CP showed significant time-by-group interaction and main effects for the study group and time.
• ACQ and NQ scores were significantly improved with BBT.
• This was associated with reduced use of β2-agonists and ICS by 20% each.
• In the UT group, None of these effects occurred.
• While FEV1 and the slopes of the capnovolumetric expiratory phases 2 and 3 did not significantly change, the capnovolumetric threshold volume at tidal breathing increased (p < 0.05) with BBT by about 10 mL or 10% in comparison to the baseline. This suggests a larger volume of the central airways.
• No significant changes were seen for FeNO.

BBT showed clinical effectiveness, as evidenced by improved symptom scores and slight increases in bronchial volume. Its well-accepted nature by participants suggests its potential as a supportive tool in asthma therapy, deserving wider attention in clinical practice.

Reference:

Vagedes, Katrin, et al. “Effect of Buteyko Breathing Technique On Clinical and Functional Parameters in Adult Patients With Asthma: a Randomized, Controlled Study.” European Journal of Medical Research, vol. 29, no. 1, 2024, p. 42.

The study showed that children with eczema have a lower mean height and higher mean weight and body mass index (BMI) than the study’s reference healthy population. The findings may be informed by several factors, including impacted sleep or prolonged use of growth-affecting therapies for treating atopic dermatitis.

PEDISTAD is an ongoing, international, observational study for patients aged <12 years with moderate-to-severe AD. The study findings were presented at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2024 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.

Atopic dermatitis may impact children’s growth, particularly those who have received topical immunosuppressants and corticosteroids. Analysis of weight, height, and BMI of children with AD compared to the general population could characterize the impact of AD on childhood growth.

In the analysis, Amy S. Paller, MD, chair of dermatology at Northwestern Medicine, and colleagues provided a report on the height, weight, and BMI of enrolled children compared to the general standardized healthy population.

In total, 1329 children were enrolled in PEDISTAD. The analysis assessed the percentage of patients above the 50th percentile and the mean percentiles for weight, height, and BMI at baseline against the CDC Learning Management System reference healthy population, by age in months.

The study led to the following findings:

• Compared with the age-specific population norms, in the PEDISTAD study, at baseline, 50% of males were above the 50th percentile for weight, but only 38% were above for height.
• In females, these figures were 51% and 52% respectively.
• In patients aged 5 to 12 years, only 28% of males and 47% of females were above the 50th percentile for height.
• For BMI, 69% of males and 71% of females were above the 50th percentile.
• The average across all age-specific percentiles for height, weight, and BMI were the 46th, 51st, and 58th for males; and 50th, 50th, and 59th for females in the PEDISTAD population.

In conclusion, the findings showed that moderate-to-severe AD may hinder growth in children below 12 years, possibly due to factors like prolonged use of systemic or topical glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants.

“Early intervention with effective targeted therapies may mitigate the negative impact on growth,” the researchers concluded.

Reference:

Paller AS, Geng B, Irvine A, Siegried E, et al. Growth Analysis in Children Aged Less Than 12 Years with Moderate-to-Severe Atopic Dermatitis. Paper presented: American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2024 Annual Meeting. March 8 – 12, 2024. San Diego, CA.