Effectiveness of nordic walking in patients with asthma: A study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine if a Nordic walking training program combined with education and usual care improves exercise tolerance and other health-related outcomes in asthma patients compared to education and usual care alone.
Results Summary
The study expects Nordic walking combined with education and usual care to improve exercise tolerance and asthma-related outcomes, though final results are pending as the trial is ongoing.
Population
114 adults with asthma recruited in the sanitary area of A Coruña, Spain.
Effective Dosage
Supervised Nordic walking sessions three times per week.
Duration
Eight weeks.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nordic walking (NW) training program plus education and usual care | increase | exercise tolerance and other health-related outcomes | patients with asthma | - | is superior to | #1 |
Nordic walking (NW) training program plus education and usual care | increase | exercise tolerance | patients with asthma | - | is expected to improve | #2 |
Nordic walking (NW) training program plus education and usual care | increase | asthma-related outcomes | patients with asthma | - | is expected to improve | #3 |
BACKGROUND: Patients with asthma often consider their symptomatology a barrier to exercise, leading to a reduced physical activity level. This study aims to determine whether the effect of a Nordic walking (NW) training program plus education and usual care is superior to educational and usual care only, in terms of exercise tolerance and other health-related outcomes in patients with asthma. The second aim is to explore the patients' experience with the NW program. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with 114 adults with asthma recruited in sanitary area of A Coruña, Spain. Participants will be randomized to NW or control groups in blocks of six and in the same proportion in each group. Participants in the NW group will enrol in supervised sessions during eight weeks, three times/week. All participants will receive three educational sessions on asthma self-management plus usual care (S1 Appendix). Outcomes such as exercise tolerance (primary outcome), physical activity level, asthma-related symptoms and asthma control, dyspnea, lung function, handgrip strength, health related quality of life, quality of sleep, treatment adherence and healthcare resources use will be measured pre and postintervention, and at three and six months of follow-up. Participants in the NW group will additionally participate in focus groups. DISCUSSION: This is the first study analysing the effect of NW in patients with asthma. NW combined with education and usual care is expected to improve exercise tolerance, but also asthma-related outcomes. If this hypothesis is confirmed, a new community-based therapeutic approach will be available for patients with asthma. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Study registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with number of register NCT05482620.