Sankari A, Najjar AA, Maresh SA, Prowting JL, Fung CH, Knack A, Yarandi H, Badr MS. Feasibility of oropharyngeal and respiratory muscle training in individuals with OSA and spinal cord injury or disease: A pilot study.
Physiol Rep 2024;
12:e15930. [PMID:
38325913 PMCID:
PMC10849885 DOI:
10.14814/phy2.15930]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To examine the feasibility of individuals with spinal cord injury or disease (SCI/D) to perform combined oropharyngeal and respiratory muscle training (RMT) and determine its impact on their respiratory function.
METHODS
A prospective study at a single Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. Inclusion criteria included: 1) Veterans with chronic SCI/D (>6 months postinjury and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) classification A-D) and 2) evidence of OSA by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI ≥5 events/h). Eligible participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental (exercise) group that involved performing daily inspiratory, expiratory (using POWERbreathe and Expiratory Muscle Strength Trainer 150 devices, respectively), and tongue strengthening exercises or a control (sham) group that involved using a sham device, for a 3-month period. Spirometry, maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), polysomnography, and sleep questionnaires were assessed at baseline and at 3 months.
RESULTS
Twenty-four individuals were randomized (12 participants in each arm). A total of eight (67%) participants completed the exercise arm, and ten (83%) participants completed the sham arm. MIP was significantly increased (p < 0.05) in the exercise group compared with the baseline.
CONCLUSIONS
Combined oropharyngeal and RMT are feasible for individuals with SCI/D. Future studies are needed to determine the clinical efficacy of these respiratory muscle exercises.
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