Effectiveness of Respiratory Muscle Training by Spirotiger in Chronic Patients

Plain-language summary

The reduction in effort tolerance as result of a decreased efficiency in ventilation is common both in patients affected by COPD (McKenzie) and chronic heart failure (CHF) (Ribeiro, Frankenstein). One of the most common cause is the reduced respiratory muscle strength and endurance. Some studies have evaluated the effect of a specific training on the muscular strength both in pulmonary (Battaglia, Powell) and cardiac patients (Winkelmann, Chiappa). Moreover, only few studies investigated a specific training for such patients (Koppers, Sherer) because of the complicated equipment needed to prevent hypocapnia. Up to date, portable and economic systems for isocapnic hyperpnea have been developed for respiratory muscle training. Primary aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the respiratory muscle training -by the technique of the isocapnic hyperpnea- on the effort tolerance and endurance in patients with COPD and CHF Secondary aims were: A.to quantify the number of patients with deficit of respiratory muscles endurance and B.to verify different response of training between COPD and CHF patients

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