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ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO-ID: CRD42019130156)MethodsEligibility criteria: Randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of at least 8 weeks of aerobic exercise training on outcomes for asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma. Information sources: Medline, EMBase, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched up to 3 April 2019. Risk of bias: Risk of bias was assessed by the “Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool”.ResultsIncluded studies: We included 11 studies with a total of 543 adults with asthma. Participants' mean age was 36.5 years (range: 22 to 54 years); 74.8% of participants were women and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.6 kg·m−2 (range: 23.2 to 38.1 kg·m−2). Interventions had a median duration of 12 weeks (range: 8 to 12 weeks) and included walking, jogging, spinning, treadmill running and other unspecified exercise training programmes. Synthesis of results: Exercise training improved asthma control with a standard mean difference (SMD) of −0.48 (−0.81 to −0.16). Lung function slightly increased with an SMD of −0.36 (−0.72 to 0.00) in favour of exercise training. Exercise training had no apparent effect on markers of airway inflammation [SMD: −0.03 (−0.41 to 0.36)].ConclusionsIn adults with asthma, aerobic exercise training has potential to improve asthma control and lung function but not airway inflammation.

Background: High-intensity interval training is an effective and popular training regime but its feasibility in untrained adults with asthma is insufficiently described. Objective: The randomized controlled trial ‘EFFORT Asthma’ explored the effects of behavioural interventions including high-intensity interval training on clinical outcomes in nonobese sedentary adults with asthma. In this article we present a sub analysis of data aiming to evaluate if patients’ pre-intervention levels of asthma control, FEV1, airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) predicted their training response to the high-intensity interval training program, measured as increase in maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Design: We used data from the EFFORT Asthma Study. Of the 36 patients randomized to the 8-week exercise intervention consisting of high-intensity training three times per week, 29 patients (45% females) completed the study and were included in this data analysis. Pre-intervention assessment included the asthma control questionnaire (ACQ), spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and AHR to mannitol. VO2 max was measured during an incremental cycle test. Results: The majority of included patients had partly or uncontrolled asthma reflected by a mean (SD) ACQ at 1.7 (0.6). Median (IQR) FeNO was 28.5 (23.8) ppb and 75% had a positive mannitol test indicating AHR.The association between patients’ training response measured as increase in VO2max and pre-intervention ACQ scores was not statistically significant (p = 0.49). Likewise, the association between patients’ increase in VO2max and FeNO as well as AHR was not statistically significant (p = 0.80 and p = 0.58). Conclusions: Included asthma patients could adhere to the high-intensity interval protocol and improve their VO2max regardless of pre-intervention levels of asthma control, airway inflammation and AHR.

Purpose of review Exercise has shown to reduce asthma symptoms; however, the underlying mechanism for this improvement remains unclear. Improvement in inflammatory control could be the reason for this reduction in symptoms. This review discusses recent studies evaluating the effect of exercise on inflammatory control in patients with asthma. Recent findings New studies support that exercise is well tolerated and feasible regardless of intensity. Exercise seems to improve systemic low-grade inflammation, but consistency lacks when it comes to reduction in airway inflammation. Summary Physical exercise as an adjuvant therapy leads to improvement in asthma symptoms and asthma-related quality of life and should be recommended for all patients with asthma.

Background: Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB) is a relatively new and technically demanding procedure for the guidance of bronchoscopic biopsy to help locate small lung lesions. The results in experienced hands are well described. However, we do not know the results in unexperienced hands-in other words, we have no knowledge about how fast you can learn the procedure.Aim: The aim of this study was to draw learning curves for beginners in ENB using Cumulated Sum (CUSUM) analysis, a method for quantitative evaluation of the learning curves for clinical procedures.Methods: Four operators from 3 centers without prior ENB experience were enrolled. The outcome of consecutive ENB procedures was assessed and classified as either diagnostic or nondiagnostic based on sample adequacy. Learning curves were drawn based on diagnostic yield.Results: A total of 215 procedures were assessed. For 2 of the operators (operators 1 and 4), at least 25 to 30 procedures were necessary to obtain competency whereas operators 2 and 3 showed more horizontal learning curves indicating an overweight of diagnostic procedures from the beginning.Conclusion: Operators achieve competences in ENB at different paces. This must be taken in account when beginners start to learn the procedure. There is a huge need for a structured educational program and a validated test to determine competences.