Abstract

Background: Bronchial asthma is often characterized by a significant reduction in lung function variables. Different postures correlate with patients’ lung functions. The assessment of the lung function in different positions among asthmatic individuals might prove useful.Aim of the Study: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different body positions on lung function variables among patients with bronchial asthma. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional survey involving patients with bronchial asthma recruited from the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. A total of twenty patients participated, including 12 males and 8 females. Their lung function parameters (FEV1, FVC and PEFR) were measured using a portable spirometer (MSO4) in different positions (sitting, standing, lateral decubitus and supine). Descriptive statistics of the mean and standard deviation, frequency and percentages were used to describe the anthropometric variables and inferential statistics of ANOVA were applied to compare the means of four different positions. The alpha level was set at p<0.05.Results: The mean age, height and weight of the participants were 39.2±8 years, 63.3±9 kg and 1.64±0.1 m, respectively. There were significant differences in the lung function variables across all body positions (p<0.05). FEV1 and FVC were found to be higher in the standing position compared to the sitting, supine and lateral decubitus positions. The values of FEV1 and FVC were similar in the supine and lateral decubitus position (p<0.05). PEFR was significantly lower only in the supine position (p<0.05), as compared to the standing, sitting and lateral decubitus positions; its values in the standing, sitting and lateral decubitus were comparable (p>0.05). Conclusion: FEV1 and FVC were higher in the standing position compared to the sitting and supine positions.

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