Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects

Abstract Dysfunctional breathing, characterized by inefficient ventilation, is common among asthmatic patients. It is mainly identified using questionnaires and by observing breathing patterns, but the actual efficiency of ventilation is rarely evaluated. This study aimed to compare ventilatory effi...

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Main Authors: Monique vanOosten, Arni Johnsen, Bjorn Magnusson, Marta Gudjonsdottir
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Physiological Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70490
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author Monique vanOosten
Arni Johnsen
Bjorn Magnusson
Marta Gudjonsdottir
author_facet Monique vanOosten
Arni Johnsen
Bjorn Magnusson
Marta Gudjonsdottir
author_sort Monique vanOosten
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Dysfunctional breathing, characterized by inefficient ventilation, is common among asthmatic patients. It is mainly identified using questionnaires and by observing breathing patterns, but the actual efficiency of ventilation is rarely evaluated. This study aimed to compare ventilatory efficiency at rest between asthmatic patients and healthy subjects, and to assess the stability of these parameters over 1 year. Ventilation (VE), respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (VT), carbon dioxide output (VCO2) and end‐tidal partial pressure (PETCO2), spirometry, and breath‐holding time (BHT) were measured at baseline (M1) and 17–51 weeks later (M2). The ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2) and breathing pattern (RR/VT) were calculated. Patients took the Asthma Control Test questionnaire (ACT). A mixed‐design ANOVA at M1 showed that 30 not well‐controlled asthmatic patients according to ACT (77% females, 7 with airway obstruction), and 23 matched healthy subjects had similar breathing parameters, except for BHT (p < 0.02) and PETCO2 (p = 0.06). Only BHT changed, that is, it increased from M1 to M2 in the groups and remained shorter among the patients. Despite a shorter BHT among the patients, indicating a heightened perceptual sensitivity for dyspnoea, the ventilatory efficiency and breathing pattern at rest were similar and remained stable for 1 year in both groups.
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spelling doaj-art-c943f3eea44b4454aecc10c11f43df0e2025-08-20T03:44:14ZengWileyPhysiological Reports2051-817X2025-08-011315n/an/a10.14814/phy2.70490Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjectsMonique vanOosten0Arni Johnsen1Bjorn Magnusson2Marta Gudjonsdottir3Physiotherapy Monique slf Mosfellsbaer IcelandFaculty of Medicine University of Iceland Reykjavik IcelandDepartment of Internal Medicine The South Coast Health Institution of Iceland Selfoss IcelandFaculty of Medicine University of Iceland Reykjavik IcelandAbstract Dysfunctional breathing, characterized by inefficient ventilation, is common among asthmatic patients. It is mainly identified using questionnaires and by observing breathing patterns, but the actual efficiency of ventilation is rarely evaluated. This study aimed to compare ventilatory efficiency at rest between asthmatic patients and healthy subjects, and to assess the stability of these parameters over 1 year. Ventilation (VE), respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (VT), carbon dioxide output (VCO2) and end‐tidal partial pressure (PETCO2), spirometry, and breath‐holding time (BHT) were measured at baseline (M1) and 17–51 weeks later (M2). The ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2) and breathing pattern (RR/VT) were calculated. Patients took the Asthma Control Test questionnaire (ACT). A mixed‐design ANOVA at M1 showed that 30 not well‐controlled asthmatic patients according to ACT (77% females, 7 with airway obstruction), and 23 matched healthy subjects had similar breathing parameters, except for BHT (p < 0.02) and PETCO2 (p = 0.06). Only BHT changed, that is, it increased from M1 to M2 in the groups and remained shorter among the patients. Despite a shorter BHT among the patients, indicating a heightened perceptual sensitivity for dyspnoea, the ventilatory efficiency and breathing pattern at rest were similar and remained stable for 1 year in both groups.https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70490asthma control testbreath‐holding timebreathing patterndysfunctional breathingventilatory efficiency
spellingShingle Monique vanOosten
Arni Johnsen
Bjorn Magnusson
Marta Gudjonsdottir
Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects
Physiological Reports
asthma control test
breath‐holding time
breathing pattern
dysfunctional breathing
ventilatory efficiency
title Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects
title_full Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects
title_fullStr Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects
title_full_unstemmed Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects
title_short Assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma: A longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects
title_sort assessing ventilatory efficiency at rest in asthma a longitudinal comparison with healthy subjects
topic asthma control test
breath‐holding time
breathing pattern
dysfunctional breathing
ventilatory efficiency
url https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70490
work_keys_str_mv AT moniquevanoosten assessingventilatoryefficiencyatrestinasthmaalongitudinalcomparisonwithhealthysubjects
AT arnijohnsen assessingventilatoryefficiencyatrestinasthmaalongitudinalcomparisonwithhealthysubjects
AT bjornmagnusson assessingventilatoryefficiencyatrestinasthmaalongitudinalcomparisonwithhealthysubjects
AT martagudjonsdottir assessingventilatoryefficiencyatrestinasthmaalongitudinalcomparisonwithhealthysubjects