Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Annals of Medicine, cilt.57, sa.1, ss.1-11, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Airofit PRO™, a mobile respiratory trainer device, on pulmonary function, chest expansion, and functional status in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) compared to a conventional pursed-lip breathing (PLB) exercise program. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 70 patients with AS who were allocated into two groups: the mobile device exercise (MDE) group (n=36), using Airofit PRO™, and the PLB control group (n=34). The participants underwent a 12-week exercise regimen consisting of three 6-minute daily sessions. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs), including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced expiratory flow between 25–75% (FEF25–75), peak expiratory flow (PEF), chest expansion, and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) scores, were measured pre- and post-intervention. Results: Significant improvements were observed in the MDE group compared to the PLB group. Male patients in the MDE group exhibited statistically significant improvements in FEV1, FVC, FEF25–75, and PEF (p<0.05). Female patients in the MDE group demonstrated significant improvements in PFT parameters and chest expansion (p<0.05). No significant improvement was observed in the PLB group. The compliance rates were similar between the groups, and no significant adverse effects were reported. Conclusion: The Airofit PRO™ respiratory trainer significantly improved pulmonary function parameters and chest expansion in AS patients , demonstrating greater effectiveness compared to conventional PLB exercises. These findings suggest that mobile respiratory trainers may provide a promising adjunctive therapeutic option for the pulmonary rehabilitation of patients with AS.