The Effects Of Three Kinds Of Respiratory Training Methods On Pulmonary Function And Quality Of Life In Patients With Thoracic Radiotherapy

ObjectiveTo explore the best method by comparing the effects of three kinds ofrespiratory training methods(the retracting-lip breathing, the blowing balloonstraining method, and the resisting respiratory exercise) on the pulmonaryfunction and quality of life (QOL) among patients with thoracic cancer duringradiotherapy.Object76patients with thoracic cancer receiving radiotherapy in AffiliatedHospital of Taishan Medical University and the Central Hospital of Taian fromMarch2012to December2012were selected. Inclusion criteria:①Patients werediagnosed with thoracic cancer by clinical, imaging and pathologicalexamination;②The expected lifetime was more than6months;③The activityKarnfsky (KPS) score was more than60. Exclusion criteria:①Severe organicdisease or dysfunction in brain, kidney or other organs;②The primary diseasesdeteriorated rapidly or with metastasis of important organs.MethodPatients were randomly divided into the control group (C=20cases), theretracting-lip breathing group (E1=19cases), the blowing balloons group(E2=18cases), and the resisting respiratory exercise group (E3=19cases).Patients in E1, E2and E3were given respiratory training based on conventionaltreatment.（30days,2-3times/day,10-15mins/each). The pulmonaryfunction(FEV1、PEF、FEV1%、PEF%) and QOL were measured at the first andthe thirty day of radiotherapy by electronic pulmometer and QOL-GM respectively.ResultThe indicators(FEV1、PEF、FEV1%、PEF%) of pulmonary function at30thday of radiotherapy were lower than those at the first day, the intragroupdifferences were significantly, but there were no significantly different amongintergroups. The scores of QOL in E1, E2and E3groups showed significantlyincreased than that in control group, but pairwise comparisons were nodifferences (p>0.05). The improvement of mental function of E3is higher thanE2, the differences were statistically significant (p<0.01).ConclusionThe pulmonary function of patients with thoracic radiotherapy significantlyreduced after radiotherapy. Three kind of breathing exercises showed no effectson pulmonary function, but they could improved the QOL of patients withthoracic radiotherapy. Whereas, there are no significant differences of QOLamong three kinds of breathing exercises, but patients prefer E3to E2and E1.