Physical Conditioning in Asthma II. Changes in VEbtps, Vo2, and External Work

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical exercise upon in-hospital patients. The study was divided into 2 periods. During the 1st study period, one group of subjects received 2 hours of strenuous physical exercise 5 days/week, while a second group was used for control purposes, and was permitted to participate only in the routine hospital activities. After 3 months of this regimen, the exercise group showed statistically significant increases in V02, VEbtps, and external work. The control group, on the other hand, showed a statistically significant increase in their external work only. It was also demonstrated that the 2 groups were alike at the start of the study and had a very high degree of pulmonary obstruction which was not significantly altered by 3 months of hospitalization. The 2nd study period was also 3 months long and started immediately following the end of the 1st study period. At this time, however, the 2 groups were reserved; the control subjects beginning the physical exercise program and the exercise subjects becoming the control group. After 3 months of this regimen, the exercise group again showed statistically significant increases in VEbtps and external work, but not in V02. The control group, on the other hand, did not retain any of the changes it had manifested while participating in physical exercise. Not all these results are logically consistent with existing theory and knowledge of the effects of physical exercise. However the major premises of our study appear to have been supported. We therefore consider it reasonable to conclude that: physical exercise is generally not detrimental to patients with asthma, asthmatic patients respond to exercise in much the same physiological manner as normal individuals, there is little evidence to support the specific therapeutic value of physical exercise in the treatment of patients with asthma, and once overcoming their initial anxiety, practically all our subjects reported feeling better after exercise, even though their pulmonary obstruction showed no changes on laboratory measurements.

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