Comparison of the immediate effects of Buteyko breathing technique, stacked breathing technique and conventional therapy on the peak expiratory flow rate and dyspnea level in asthmatic patients

Abstract

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory airway disease characterized by airflow limitation and recurrent symptoms that may persist despite standard medical treatment. Breathing retraining techniques have been increasingly used as adjunctive interventions to improve respiratory function. This study compared the immediate effects of the Buteyko breathing technique (BBT), stacked breathing technique (SBT), and conventional therapy on peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and dyspnea in individuals with bronchial asthma.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among 63 clinically stable adults with bronchial asthma (20–50 years). Participants were allocated into three groups (n=21 each): BBT with conventional therapy, SBT with conventional therapy, or conventional therapy alone. Each participant received a single 30–45-minute intervention. PEFR and dyspnea were assessed before and immediately after treatment using a peak flow meter and the modified Borg dyspnea scale. Data were analyzed using appropriate parametric and non-parametric statistical tests, with significance set at p<0.05.

Results: All groups demonstrated significant post-intervention improvements in PEFR and dyspnea. The BBT group showed the greatest increase in PEFR (mean difference: 30.0 l/min) and the largest reduction in dyspnea (mean difference: 1.42), followed by the SBT and conventional therapy groups. Between-group comparisons confirmed significantly better outcomes with BBT.

Conclusions: BBT, when combined with conventional therapy, produced greater immediate improvements in expiratory flow and dyspnea than SBT or conventional therapy alone, supporting its use as an adjunct in bronchial asthma rehabilitation.