E2 ModeratePreliminaryPEM not requiredRCTPeer-reviewedReviewed
Standard · 3 min
Breathing retraining in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study.
Nijs, Jo, Adriaens, Jan, Schuermans, Daniel et al. · Physiotherapy theory and practice · 2008 · DOI
Quick Summary
This small study looked at whether some ME/CFS patients have a breathing pattern problem where their chest and belly don't move together smoothly (asynchronous breathing). Researchers found that about 1 in 4 ME/CFS patients had this pattern, and a single 20-30 minute breathing retraining session helped these patients breathe more slowly and deeply right after the session.
Why It Matters
Breathing dysfunction may contribute to symptoms in some ME/CFS patients, and identifying specific breathing abnormalities could help tailor treatments. If asynchronous breathing affects a meaningful subgroup, targeted breathing retraining might offer a non-invasive intervention avenue worth further investigation.
Observed Findings
25% (5/20) of enrolled CFS patients presented with an asynchronous breathing pattern
Baseline comparison showed no group differences in demographic features, symptom severity, respiratory muscle strength, or spirometry between asynchronous and synchronous breathing groups
Immediate post-intervention respiratory rate decreased significantly in the breathing retraining group (p<0.001)
Immediate post-intervention tidal volume increased significantly in the breathing retraining group (p<0.001)
No other respiratory variables responded to the breathing retraining intervention
Inferred Conclusions
Asynchronous breathing represents a distinct respiratory phenotype present in approximately 25% of this CFS cohort
Breathing retraining can acutely improve tidal volume and respiratory rate in CFS patients with asynchronous breathing patterns
Breathing retraining may be a useful intervention for this CFS subgroup, though efficacy for other respiratory parameters remains unclear
Remaining Questions
Does breathing retraining produce sustained improvements in respiratory function beyond the immediate post-intervention period?
Does correction of asynchronous breathing pattern lead to improvements in ME/CFS symptom severity or functional capacity?
What This Study Does Not Prove
This pilot study does not establish that asynchronous breathing causes ME/CFS symptoms or that a single breathing retraining session produces lasting improvements beyond the immediate post-intervention period. The small sample size and lack of long-term follow-up data limit conclusions about clinical significance or durability of effects.
Tags
Symptom:Fatigue
Method Flag:Small SampleExploratory OnlyWeak Case Definition
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
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What proportion of the broader ME/CFS population exhibits asynchronous breathing, and what clinical or physiological characteristics distinguish responders from non-responders?
What is the mechanism underlying asynchronous breathing in ME/CFS, and is it related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction or respiratory muscle weakness?