Effectiveness of Inspiratory Muscle Training among Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been shown to be effective for some types of illnesses or conditions, including respiratory problems, cardiac disorders, and neuromuscular disorders. Reduced exercise capacity and health-related quality of life, weakness of respiratory muscles, and complaints of dyspnea are all frequent among COPD patients. This study aimed to investigate whether the use of IMT can alter the consequences of COPD in patients and provide an updated understanding of the effects of IMT in COPD patients. The specific objectives of the study were to evaluate the effectiveness of IMT on respiratory muscle strength, exercise tolerance, dyspnea, and health-related quality of life in COPD patients. Included databases were the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Google Scholar, and PubMed. A preliminary selection of papers was produced using inclusion/exclusion criteria. Subsequently, a final selection was made based on the quality of the studies assessed using the PEDro scale. For the realization of this systematic review, seven studies were involved. According to the evidence gathered from the literature review, IMT therapy has been shown to improve respiratory muscle strength, exercise tolerance, perception of dyspnea, and health-related quality of life in COPD patients. It is necessary to conduct studies using high-quality, evidence-based data to draw more definitive conclusions about the effectiveness of IMT in COPD patients. Future research should examine whether these improvements are applicable to all COPD patient groups. Additionally, it should explore the long-term effectiveness of these therapeutic improvements and determine which IMT treatment protocol provides the most significant clinical benefits.