Acute Effects of Air Stacking Versus Glossopharyngeal Breathing in Patients with Neuromuscular Disease.

ABSTRACT

Objective: To compare the effects of Air Stacking (AS) and Glossopharyngeal Breathing (GPB) on the Maximum Insufflation Capacity (MIC) in patients with Neuromuscular Disease (NMD). Methods: We design a randomized cross-over study. Children and adolescents with NMD who were users of non-invasive mechanical ventilation were recruited. Vital capacity (VC) and MIC were measured before and after the intervention with AS and GPB. Values were compared pre- and post-intervention and were considered statistically significant if p <0.05. Results: We selected 14 patients with a median age of 12.5 years (range 9-18) with the following diagnoses Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (7), Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II (3), Spinal Cord Injury (1) and Congenital Myopathies (3). The median baseline VC was 1325 ml (CI 1084-1594 ml). AS improved the VC to 1930 mL (CI 1630-2434 mL, p<0.001), and GPB increased the VC to 1600 mL (CI 1370-1960 mL, p=0.001). There was a significant difference of 290 mL (CI 168-567 mL, p<0.002) between both techniques. Conclusion: The air stacking and glossopharyngeal breathing were both effective in increasing the maximum insufflation capacity, but air stacking resulted in a greater increase in MIC.