Combined resistance and aerobic training in asthmatic adolescents: a quasi-experimental study

Objective To evaluate the effects of a combined training program on the control of asthma, physical fitness, and quality of life in asthmatic adolescents.Methods This is an intervention study that used combined resistance and aerobic training (36 sessions of 60 min each) in asthmatic adolescents. To assess the improvement in clinical control of asthma, the Asthma Control Test (ACT) was carried out weekly. Assessments of quality of life (Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire - AQLQ), physical fitness (Sport Brazil Project—PROESP-BR), and body composition (Tetrapolar Bioimpedance) were performed, in addition to evaluations of respiratory variables. The diagnosis of Exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) was confirmed by a drop in FEV1 of 10% or greater compared to baseline at 5, 10, 15, and 30 min after the treadmill bronchoprovocation test.Results A total of 19 individuals (52.7% female) participated in the study, with a mean age of 15.2 ± 2.2 years. Patients with EIB presented an improvement of approximately 3 points on the ACT, and 4/12 no longer had EIB after the intervention. Increases in Forced Vital Capacity (p < 0.029) and respiratory muscle strength (p < 0.001), and improvements in physical fitness parameters, body composition, and quality of life (p < 0.001) were also observed in asthmatics.Conclusion Asthmatic adolescents undergoing a combined training program presented improvements in forced vital capacity, respiratory muscle strength, physical fitness, and quality of life. Furthermore, after 4 weeks of training, an improvement in asthma control was observed in people with EIB.