Respiratory strength training improved some breathing measures in early ALS
Original source
Respiratory Strength Training in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Multicenter, Sham-Controlled Trial. (opens in a new tab)Compass summarised this from the study's abstract.
Study details
- Study type
- Clinical trial
- Studied in
- Human
A 12-week respiratory strength training program increased maximum expiratory pressure and cough peak inspiratory flow in a randomized trial of 45 people with early-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It did not significantly improve maximum inspiratory pressure, forced vital capacity, overall ALS functional decline, feeding status or time to noninvasive ventilation. An exploratory analysis found slower bulbar decline over one year in the active-training group.
Why this matters
The findings suggest that supervised respiratory strength training may improve some breathing and airway-clearance measures for people with early-stage ALS. The study does not show that the program changes overall disease progression or delays assisted breathing, so it does not establish a treatment benefit.
Limitations and context
This was a small, 45-person, 12-week double-blind randomized trial, with one-year outcomes described as exploratory. Participants had early-stage ALS, so the findings may not apply to later disease stages. The researchers said further work is needed to determine the best training intensity and longer-term functional effects.