Methodologies of inspiratory muscle training techniques in obstructive lung diseases

Background: Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a non-pharmacological, non-invasive therapeutic method that can improve the quality of life in patients with obstructive lung diseases. The effectiveness of IMT may depends on the type of the device used in the training and the parameters of the training programme. Objectives: The aim of the review was to present different techniques and protocols of IMT used in patients with obstructive lung diseases. Methods: The MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched to identify the potentially eligible publications from the previous 5 years. The various protocols of IMT used in different studies were analysed and described in detail. Results: A database search identified 333 records, of which 22 were included into the final analysis. All of the finally analysed studies were conducted in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The protocols of IMT used in the studies differed in the type of the device used, the duration of the training programme, the number and the duration of training sessions, the initial load, and the rate at which the load was changed during the training. Conclusions: IMT is used mainly in studies on patients with COPD and not with asthma. There is no one approved training programme for IMT. The most predominant type of IMT is a training with threshold loading. The most frequently used devices for IMT are POWERbreath and Threshold IMT. The protocols of IMT used in the studies are very diverse.