Short summary

In the first part of the study the prevalence of dysfunctional breathing in children and adolecents with asthma in a hospital outpatient clinic is invstigated. Participants are invited to take the Nijmegen Questionnairre and the Asthma Control Questionnairre. The prevalence of dysfunctional breathing defined as NQ score >= 23 is calculated, and demographics are compared between children with and without dysfunctional breathing. In the second part of the study, the effect of physiotherapeutical instructions an training on dysfunctional breathing in children and adolecents with or without asthma is investigated in a randomized trial.

Rationale

The purpose of the study is to investigate the prevalence of dysfunctional breathing in children and adolecents with asthma in a hospital outpatient clinic. Children and adolecents aged 10-17 years are invited to take the Nijmegen Questionnairre and the Asthma Control Questionnairre, during appointments at the outpatient clinic. For this study purpose, each participant only takes the questionnairres once. Patient data regarding age, sex, asthma medication, lung function, allergic sensitization, method of asthma diagnose, Height, weight and Body mass index is registered from the elctronical patient journal. The prevalence of dysfunctional breathing in the cohorte is calculated as the fraction of children with a NQ score >= 23. The group of children with dysfunctional breathing is charactherized and compared to the group without dysfunctional breathing, regarding the descriptives mentioned above. The purpose of the second part of the study is to investigate the effect of physiotherapeutical instructions on dysfunctional breathing in children and adolecents with or without asthma. Participants with dysfunktional breathing (NQ >= 23) (and if asthma ACQ score >= 1,5) are invited to participate in the intervention study. Participants are statified by asthma diagnose status and randomized to physiotherapy or standard care. Participants are followed a year after the intervention, to compare the development in asthma control measured by ACQ5( if asthma) and quality of life measured by PedsQL.

Description of the cohort

Children and adolecents followed in our outpatient clinic with asthma. In the second part of the study, children with dysfunctional breathing with or without asthma.

Data and biological material

Questionnairres Clinical data regarding lung fuinction tests and demographics.

Collaborating researchers and departments

Department of paediatrics and adolecent medicine

• Louise Jürgensen, MD
• Professor Poul-Erik Kofoed, MD, DmSci

Department of Physiotherapy

• Physiotherapist Tine Hell
• Physiotherapist Inge Bruun, PhD