A new study on the effects of counter pressure and steam breathing on lung function and respiratory symptoms in patients with asthma and COPD is nearing completion in Tampere, Finland.

WellO2 device and nasal mask

Research data on the importance of effective and the right type of breathing for human well-being is growing all the time. More than a billion people worldwide suffer from acute and chronic respiratory problems [1]. According to the WHO, 90% of the world's population constantly breathes air containing small particles that damage the lungs [2]. Air pollution significantly increases the risk of asthma and COPD. Smoking has the greatest effect on increasing the risk of disease.  The problem is global: the prevalence of asthma in the adult population is about 10% and COPD 5-15% in industrialized countries.

A clinical study is underway in Johanneksenklinikka clinic in Tampere, Finland, to investigate the effects of combined counter-pressure and steam breathing on lung function, respiratory symptoms, and perceived well-being in patients with asthma and COPD. [3]

In the study, subjects with mild to moderate asthma or COPD were enrolled in two groups, one group using the WellO2 breathing trainer daily for one month with the other group acting as a control group. Before and after the training session, lung function is measured by flow-volume pyrometry.

In addition, the maximum airway pressures for inhalation and exhalation are measured. Respiratory and well-being symptoms are mapped with validated questions. The resistance level of the breathing exercise is individually adjusted to level that is reasonably easy for every person in normal condition to perform.

The study is controlled and blinded in nature and meets the criteria for good clinical research as well as ethical principles. The research plan has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Tampere. A total of 60 subjects will be included in the study, of whom approximately 40 have already completed the entire program. 

The patient measurements of the study are scheduled to be completed during 2021. The results of the study will be published in 2022 in an international scientific, peer reviewed publication series.

Breathing training is commonly used as a rehabilitative form of treatment in various situations and diseases where lung function is impaired.  An increase in the strength of the respiratory muscles can contribute to e.g. faster recovery from COVID-19 lung damage. [4]

The WellO2 counter-pressure steam breathing device developed in Finland can easily rehabilitate the respiratory system at home and strengthen lung function, as well as enhance the defense mechanisms of the respiratory mucous membranes against pathogens when the air temperature and humidity are raised. WellO2 has more than 60,000 users in Europe and Australia.

The effects of the use of WellO2 device on voice production have also been studied in the university hospitals of Oulu, Tampere, and Helsinki, Finland. The results of a pilot study related to this study have been published. The voice problems of subjects in the pilot study were alleviated when they used the WellO2 device for 10 minutes a day for a month. [5]

Sources:

1. GBD 2015 Mortality and Causes of Death Collaborators. Global, regional, and national life expectancy, all cause mortality, and cause-specific mortality for 249 causes of death, 1980–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015. Lancet 2016; 388: 1459–1544.
   
2. WHO, 2018
3. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04584398)
4. The American Journal of Medicine: Respiratory Muscle Performance Screening for Infectious Disease Management Following COVID-19: A Highly Pressurized Situation, VOLUME 133, ISSUE 9 , P1025-1032, SEPTEMBER 01, 2020
5. (Effects of humidification of the vocal tract and respiratory muscle training in women with voice symptoms - A pilot study. Journal of Voice, 35(1)

In addition: Forum of International Respiratory Societies. The Global Impact of Respiratory Disease – Second Edition. Sheffield, European Respiratory Society, 2017.