Asthmatics needed

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 4

Asthmatics needed

Christchurch asthmatics are needed for a study that its authors believe will be a world first to prove that relaxation can ease asthma attacks.

Two doctors have spent months researching and planning the study which has just started at The Princess Margaret Hospital. However, Drs Tim Ewer and Don Stewart share one problem — not enough asthmatics.

About 40 volunteers with mild to moderate asthma, aged 18 to 50, are needed. “The response so far has been pretty low which is a shame really,” Dr Ewer said. “We are just praying at the moment that the people will come forward.” Notices posted in doctors’ waiting rooms and tertiary institutions had attracted only about 12 volunteers. The doctors believe the Christchurch study is probably the first in New Zealand to look seriously at the part relaxation can play in preventing or easing asthma attacks. Dr Ewer said that there was a lot of interest but not enough evidence to convince others of the benefits he was sure existed. Overseas studies had shown a marked improvement in patients’ asthma and their reliance on drugs after relaxation. But none used the sophisticated equipment that the local

study had to monitor precise physical effects. The Christchurch researchers are checking each volunteer’s physical condition, relaxation ability, and their degree of asthma at the start of the trial period. The volunteers are given peak flow meters, a common device to measure how much air they breathe, and a diary to record their asthma while at home.

Half will also be taught relaxation techniques while the remainder act as a randomly selected control group. Weekly hospital checks for two months will be made of all volunteers.

The Canterbury Asthma Society has given money for the study but much of the equipment has been pieced together. Respiratory tests include a “forced oscillation” device which measures resistance in the airways and the Challenge test where asthmatics inhale methacholine mist to induce a mild bout of asthma. Dr Ewer said that the battery of tests would be repeated at the end of the trial and, it was hoped, three months later.

He emphasised that the study involved no injections or other drugs. British research had found that up to 80 per cent of asthmatics using the relaxation techniques felt better.

“What we are interested in is running a tight scientific study that will document this beyond a shadow of a doubt,” Dr Stewart said. “One of the possibilities that need checking out is the fact that patients may feel subjectively better but they may not be any better in objective terms,” he said. The doctors were reluctant to describe the relaxation techniques used, beyond saying they involved muscular relaxation exercises coupled with mental imagery, in case the description biased results.

“Like all good things they are essentially simple but you need initially a therapist sort of person who is trained in using relaxation just to get you going,” Dr Ewer said. Similar relaxation techniques were also used for patients with some heart problems, hypertension, bowel problems, and eczema.