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Exercise Benefits Lung Function in Asthma Patients

Lung function decline is common among individuals with asthma. A recent report from researchers in Norway has suggested a link between physical activity and slower decline.

The scientists performed a linear regression analysis to estimate lung function decline in 1,329 asthma patients over an average of 11.6 years. Each participant reported data on his or her activity level and intensity during the last year of the study.

According to the study findings, which appeared in Respirology (2016; doi: 10.1111/resp.12884), decline in forced expiratory volume was 37 milliliters per year in inactive individuals and 32 mL per year in active individuals. There was a difference in forced vital-capacity decline of 2 mL per year, favoring the active group, and declines in peak expiratory flow in inactive and active participants were 14 mL per year and 10 mL per year, respectively.

“Generally we observed similar annual declines in lung function between physically active and inactive adults with asthma; however, there was a slight tendency for the results to favor the active,” said lead author Ben Brumpton, PhD, in a press release.

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