Physical Activity Could Slow Lung Function Decline in Asthma Patients

Physical activity can slow lung function decline in adults with asthma, according to a new study from Norway.

To better understand the benefits of leisure time physical activity on lung function, the researchers followed 1329 adults with asthma who were participating in the HUNT Study, a cohort study conducted in Norway.
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The researchers measured lung function via annual examinations of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and peak expiratory flow (PEF).

Weekly physical activity level (ranging from no physical activity to hard physical activity) during the last year was measured via questionnaire.

After 11.6 years, the researchers made the following conclusions:

  • The mean decline in FEV1 was 37 mL per year among inactive participants and 32 mL per year among active participants.
  • The mean decline in FVC was 33 mL per year among inactive participants and 31 mL per year among active participants.
  • The mean decline in FEV1/FVC ratio was 0.36% per year among inactive participants and 0.22% per year among active participants.
  • The mean decline in PEF was 14 mL per year among the inactive participants and 10 mL per year in active participants.

“We observed slightly less decline in lung function in physically active than inactive participants with asthma, particularly for FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, and PEF,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Brumpton BM, Langhammer A, Henriksen AH, et al. Physical activity and lung function decline in adults with asthma: The HUNT Study [published online September 2016]. Respirology. doi:10.1111/resp.12884.