Diaphragm function in patients with asthma and healthy controls: a cross-sectional study

Résumé fourni par la source

Background: Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation and variable respiratory symptoms. While peripheral muscle deconditioning is known to affect lung function and exercise tolerance, the role of respiratory muscle dysfunction, particularly the diaphragm, remains underexplored Aims and objective: to evaluate differences in diaphragm function in patients with asthma Methods: We conducted an observational study including 50 patients with asthma and 50 healthy controls. Two independent operators evaluated diaphragm contraction using tidal breathing thickening fraction (TF). Diaphragm dysfunction was defined as a TF < 20%. Additional assessments included flow-volume spirometry, impulse oscillometry (IOS), Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO), blood eosinophil count, and the Sniff Inspiratory Nasal Pressure (SNIP) test Results: Patients with asthma demonstrated significantly reduced diaphragm TF compared to healthy controls (p<0.0001), with consistent findings across operators. Diaphragm dysfunction was significantly more prevalent in asthmatic patients (p<0.0001), affecting 62%–66% of the right hemidiaphragm and 46%–54% of the left. Reduced TF was associated with longer disease duration (p = 0.03) and higher exacerbation rates (p = 0.04). No significant correlations were observed between TF and anthropometric data, asthma treatments, lung function, SNIP or Th2 biomarkers Conclusion: Diaphragm dysfunction is prevalent in asthma and associated with disease severity, exacerbation frequency and longer disease duration. Impaired diaphragm function may contribute to persistent symptoms and exercise intolerance, representing a novel treatable trait in asthma management.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.