Egyptian Trial Shows the The Buteyko Breathing Technique Improves Lung Function

By: Charles Florendo, MD, Cameroon

A recent trial conducted in Egypt and published at the Egyptian Journal of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis shows that theButeyko Breathing Technique not only improves asthma control but can improve Peak Expiratory Flow Rates (PEFR) as well.

This is a welcome development as it is the first published study to record improvements in lung function among asthmatics subjects taking up the Buteyko Breathing Technique. The study had 40 participants, 20 of whom were taught the Buteyko Breathing Technique while another 20 only received medical management. The study followed up participants for 6 weeks which showed that PEFR improved by 51% in the Buteyko group as compared to only 3.6% in the control group. The Buteyko group also showed decreased daily symptoms by 52% as compared to only 0.8% in the control group.

Some other interesting notes done by the trial were that the researchers measured and recorded the participants control pauses (CP) as well. Participants in the Buteyko group had increased their CP by 69% compared to only 8% in the control group. Much like in previous studies, the Buteyko group also decreased their use of inhaled steroids by 33% compared to 15% in the control group.

The study did not mention who was the Buteyko Practitioner involved in the study. This is perhaps the first African study of the Buteyko breathing technique to be published. With it though comes the distinction that clinical studies on the Buteyko breathing technique have been completed and published from all five inhabited continents of the planet: America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and now Africa.

To search for the trial online, you may look for: Hassan, Riad, Ahmed. Effects of Buteyko Breathing Technique on patients with Bronchial asthma. Click HERE for link to Egyptian Journal of Chest Diseases and Tuberculosis (2012) 61, 235-241.

Nursing students in the Philippines prove that Buteyko is safe and effective for Kids

A group of nursing students from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines conducted a trial on the Buteyko Method involving children 7-11 years of age as part of their thesis. With assistance from Buteyko Practitioners Dr. Charles Edward Florendo, and Patrick McKeown, the students followed up 7 children who took up Buteyko, and 7 others who did not. All the children were diagnosed with asthma by a pediatrician. The children were assessed using the Filipino versions of the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Asthma Control Questionnaire. They were followed up for 4 weeks. Children who took up Buteyko were taught the Buteyko Steps exercises as well as games promoting proper breathing. The Buteyko group noted significant improvements in both the quality of life and asthma control scores on the third and fourth weeks after their initial tuition. On the other hand, no significant difference were noted for children in the control group. The group who made the thesis received a good grade and were invited to present their paper in conferences in Singapore and Canada.

The nursing students are Romella C. Lina, Matthew Daniel V. Leysa, Zarah DF Libozada, Maria Francesca I. Liro, Angelo Liwag, Gabriel D. Ramos, and their thesis adviser is Margaret M. Natividad RN, M.Ed. Click HERE for a downloadable version of this thesis.