Effectiveness of Anthroposophic Speech Therapy in Patients With Asthma

Effectiveness of Anthroposophic Therapeutic Speech in Patients With Asthma in a Real-life Outpatient Setting - a Randomised, Controlled, Multicentre Cross-over Trial

Anthroposophic therapeutic speech is a complementary method that indirectly influences breathing and uses specific vowels, consonants, syllables and metres depending on the indication. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of anthroposophic therapeutic speech in patients with asthma regarding clinical and physiological parameters, asthma control and quality of life.

Background Breathing retraining techniques receive increased attention in the management of asthma, since the evidence for safety and usefulness of such procedures is growing. Physiotherapist-guided breathing programs, such as the Papworth method and the Buteyko method, are most systematically investigated and hence yield the best evidence of effectiveness. Active breathing modulation techniques are frequently assigned to complementary and alternative medicine CAM, comprising of a variety of systems and modalities other than the politically dominant healthcare system. However, patients may take a different perspective, since the prevalence of CAM use in the treatment of asthma is at a level of 20-30% among adults and 50 - 60% for children, even if rigorous estimates are being applied. Anthroposophic therapeutic speech applies sounds and syllabic rhythm, e.g. the hexameter, for improving articulation, breathing and cardiorespiratory interaction. The method has been used for many years as a breathing retraining method for asthma in all settings. This study is the first to systematically investigate the effects of ATS in asthma patients in a real-life outpatient setting. Objective The following hypotheses are tested: i) anthroposophic therapeutic speech improves relevant parameters of pulmonary function in patients with asthma. ii) anthroposophic therapeutic speech reduces the use of as-needed medication in patients with asthma. iii) anthroposophic therapeutic speech improves asthma control and quality of life in patients with asthma. Methods The study is a randomised, controlled, multicentre, 2-period cross-over clinical trial conducted at 3 centres in Switzerland and Germany. Participants are randomly assigned in a 1:1 allocation ratio to either firstly receive 11 speech therapy sessions or to wait (control), followed by a cross-over to the other group.

Inclusion Criteria: Signed informed consent Age ≥ 12 years Asthma ≥ 1 year Inhaling β2 agonist ≥ once weekly Exclusion Criteria Not willing to perform therapy actively Insufficient general condition for active therapy COPD Coronary heart disease Oral corticosteroids Pregnancy

von Bonin D, Klein SD, Wurker J, Streit E, Avianus O, Grah C, Salomon J, Wolf U. Speech-guided breathing retraining in asthma: a randomised controlled crossover trial in real-life outpatient settings. Trials. 2018 Jun 25;19(1):333. doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-2727-z.