Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40488544›Full record

SynthesisTherapeutic advances in respiratory disease

Efficacy of respiratory muscle training in improving pulmonary function and survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

María Jesús Benzo-Iglesias, Patricia Rocamora-Pérez, María de Los Ángeles Valverde-Martínez, Amelia Victoria García-Luengo, Pedro Miguel Benzo-Iglesias, Remedios López-Liria

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Therapeutic advances in respiratory disease. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

María Jesús Benzo-IglesiasHealth Research Centre, Humanidades-498 Research Group, Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, Almería, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-6114-6981
Patricia Rocamora-PérezHealth Research Centre, Humanidades-498 Research Group, Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, Carretera de Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de San Urbano, Almería 04120, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-0662-2487
María de Los Ángeles Valverde-MartínezHealth Research Centre, Humanidades-498 Research Group, Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, Almería, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-2929-9440
Amelia Victoria García-LuengoFQM228-Research Team, Random Models and Design of Experiments, Department of Mathematics, University of Almería, Almería, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-7921-8384
Pedro Miguel Benzo-IglesiasAndalusian Health Service, HARE Benalmádena, Málaga, Spain.
Remedios López-LiriaHealth Research Centre, Humanidades-498 Research Group, Department of Nursing, Physiotherapy and Medicine, University of Almería, Almería, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3416-2791

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons, resulting in muscle weakness, loss of function, and ultimately death due to respiratory failure. Due to the lethal prognosis of ALS, respiratory muscle training has been proposed as a potentially beneficial intervention.

objectivesTo systematically review the efficacy of respiratory muscle training on lung function and respiratory muscle strength in ALS patients.

designA systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES AND

methodsArticles published in PubMed, PEDro, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to July 2024. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement guideline was followed. Included studies had (1) ALS patients, (2) respiratory muscle training, (3) physical exercise, usual care or no intervention were provided as a comparison group, (4) assessments of lung function, respiratory muscle strength, quality of life, survival, fatigue, and functional capacity outcome measures, and (5) a randomized controlled trial design. Methodological quality was analyzed using the PEDro scale, and risk of bias with the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analyses were performed with Review Manager software.

resultsFive randomized controlled trials with 170 participants were included. The results showed that respiratory muscle training improved muscle strength, particularly maximum expiratory and inspiratory pressures. One study suggested inspiratory muscle training as a survival predictor in ALS patients. No significant effects were observed in forced vital capacity or quality of life. No adverse effects were reported.

conclusionRespiratory muscle training improves ventilatory function, particularly respiratory muscle strength, in people with ALS. While evidence is limited, it shows promise as an adjuvant therapy to enhance quality of life and survival. It has been registered in the PROSPERO (CRD42024568235).

Indexed as

Amyotrophic Lateral SclerosisBreathing ExercisesLungRespiratory MusclesHumansMaleMuscle StrengthQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRecovery of FunctionTreatment Outcomeamyotrophic lateral sclerosisinspiratory muscle strengthneuromuscular diseasephysiotherapyrare diseaserespiratory failure

Identifiers

PMID40488544
PMCPMC12149620

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.