TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of a swimming intervention for children with asthma
AU - Wang, Jeng Shing
AU - Hung, Wen Ping
PY - 2009/8
Y1 - 2009/8
N2 - Background and objective: Asthma is a common paediatric airway disease with increasing prevalence. Studies comparing swimming with other sports have found that swimming is unlikely to provoke unstable asthma but possible benefits are not defined. This study investigated the benefits of a 6 week swimming intervention on pulmonary function tests (PFT), PEF and severity of asthma in children. Methods: Young asthmatics were randomly assigned to the experimental or the control group, with 15 subjects in each group. In addition to regular treatment for asthma, the experimental group received swimming training for 6 weeks. PFT, PEF and severity of asthma were measured. Results: There was a significant improvement (P <0.01) in PEF in the experimental group compared with the control group (330 L/min, 95% CI: 309-351 vs. 252 L/min, 95% CI: 235-269) after the swimming intervention. There was also a significant improvement (P <0.05) in the severity of asthma in the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusions: These data suggest that a swimming programme for asthmatic children can improve some disease parameters (PEF and the severity of asthma). Swimming may be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for the child or adolescent with asthma.
AB - Background and objective: Asthma is a common paediatric airway disease with increasing prevalence. Studies comparing swimming with other sports have found that swimming is unlikely to provoke unstable asthma but possible benefits are not defined. This study investigated the benefits of a 6 week swimming intervention on pulmonary function tests (PFT), PEF and severity of asthma in children. Methods: Young asthmatics were randomly assigned to the experimental or the control group, with 15 subjects in each group. In addition to regular treatment for asthma, the experimental group received swimming training for 6 weeks. PFT, PEF and severity of asthma were measured. Results: There was a significant improvement (P <0.01) in PEF in the experimental group compared with the control group (330 L/min, 95% CI: 309-351 vs. 252 L/min, 95% CI: 235-269) after the swimming intervention. There was also a significant improvement (P <0.05) in the severity of asthma in the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusions: These data suggest that a swimming programme for asthmatic children can improve some disease parameters (PEF and the severity of asthma). Swimming may be an effective non-pharmacological intervention for the child or adolescent with asthma.
KW - Asthma
KW - Peak expiratory flow monitoring
KW - Pulmonary function testing
KW - Severity of asthma
KW - Swimming
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=69049098172&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01567.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1440-1843.2009.01567.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 19703065
AN - SCOPUS:69049098172
VL - 14
SP - 838
EP - 842
JO - Respirology
JF - Respirology
SN - 1323-7799
IS - 6
ER -