AIM The aim of the present study was to compare threshold inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and expiratory muscle training (EMT) in elderly male patients with moderate degree of COPD. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty male patients with moderate degree of COPD were recruited for this study. They were randomly divided into two groups: the IMT group who received inspiratory training with an intensity...

Background: Resistive Inspiratory Muscle Training (RIMT) is a well-known technique for rehabilitation of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Incentive spirometry is another technique with potential viability for this application, but there is limited evidence in support of its efficacy in the rehabilitation of COPD patients. Aim: The objective of this study was to compar...

This study evaluated whether inspiratory muscle training (IMT) could increase inspiratory muscle strength and endurance and exercise performance in 11 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) with moderately severe airflow limitation. The IMT consisted of breathing through an inspiratory resistance (IR) for 15 min twice daily for 4 wk, preceded or followed by a 4-wk control period. After IMT, there w...

The aim of the present study was to determine the relative value of incremental and constant load tests in detecting changes in inspiratory muscle endurance following high-intensity inspiratory muscle training (H-IMT) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In total, 16 subjects (11 males; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) 37.4+/-12.5%) underwent H-IMT. In addition, 17 subjects ...

BACKGROUND Cycle ergometer training (CET) has been shown to improve exercise performance of the quadriceps muscles in patients with COPD, and inspiratory muscle training (IMT) may improve the pressure-generating capacity of the inspiratory muscles. However, the effects of combined CET and IMT remain unclear and there is a lack of comprehensive assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighty-one pati...

BACKGROUND Advanced lung disease is a chronic non-neoplastic disease that compromises activities of daily living. Treatment includes pulmonary rehabilitation and inspiratory muscle training. Studies have shown the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle training in lung disease patients, but literature is scarce on the patients' perceptions about this topic. OBJECTIVE To explore the perceptions o...

The purpose of this meta-analysis is to review studies investigating the efficacy of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and to find out whether patient characteristics influence the efficacy of IMT. A systematic literature search was performed using the Medline and Embase databases. On the basis of a methodological framework, a critical re...

In a previous study performed by us, functional alterations in the inspiratory muscles were evaluated in patients receiving corticosteroids for diseases other than respiratory. We have shown that patients who received high-dose steroids for several weeks developed inspiratory muscle weakness that was reversible following withdrawal of the drug treatment. The present study was designed to evalua...