Effect of Hypnosis on Pulmonary Function and Severity of the Disease in Asthmatic Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract Aim: Asthma is one of the common, chronic respiratory diseases which psychological factors play an important role in it and comorbidities of several psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks are common in asthmatic patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of hypnosis on pulmonary function and severity of the disease in asthmatic patients. Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial study, was carried out on 64 asthmatic patients, who referred to the clinic of Shahid Mofattah in Yasuj, Iran in 2010. The subjects were selected by purposeful sampling method, and randomly assigned into the tow group of the intervention (subjects were treated by solo hypnosis in a 90-minute session and conventional treatments) and control group (subjects were treated by conventional treatments, in addition, providing an explanation about requirement care point for improvement of asthma in 15 minutes) by use of balanced block randomization. In addition to completing demographic information at the beginning of the study, determination of pulmonary function and asthma severity were conducted respectively through measurement of FEV1 and NAEPP classification (EPR-3) at the starting point of the study and one month after the completion of the research intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software, through independent sample t-test, paired sample t-test, Chi-square test, and marginal homogeneity test. Findings: one month after completing the research intervention, the FEV1 in the intervention group increased than the control group and the severity of asthma in the intervention group decreased than the control group. Conclusion: Hypnosis as an adjuvant treatment is effective in the improvement of pulmonary function and reducing the disease severity in asthmatic patients.