Asthma and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment

The effect of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) has been studied in adult patients
with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and children with asthma, however, to the
authors' knowledge, no current studies have evaluated the non-immediate effects of OMT on
pulmonary function in adults with chronic asthma using spirometry. The objective of the
current study was to quantify the immediate, intermediate, and long-term effects of OMT on
adult patients with a history of asthma. The quantitative effects were measured with a
spirometry device and include the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), the forced
vital capacity (FVC), the FEV1/FVC ratio, and the peak expiratory flow (PEF). These four
values are used clinically in the diagnosis and management of asthma. The long-term,
subjective effects were measured via the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire with
Standardized Activities (AQLQ(S)).

The study was conducted over a period of eight weeks. During week 0, participants completed
the initial AQLQ and performed baseline spirometry testing. During weeks 1, 2, and 3 of the
study, a standard OMT protocol was performed on each participant, followed by spirometry
testing to measure the immediate effect. Spirometry testing was then performed again three
days after each treatment to measure the intermediate effect of OMT. During week 7,
participants completed the post-OMT AQLQ(S) and performed spirometry testing once more to
measure the long-term effects of OMT. The OMT protocol performed on each patient included
treatments to address somatic dysfunctions of the head, cervical spine, thoracic spine, ribs,
and respiratory diaphragm. The authors hypothesized that OMT would improve pulmonary
function, both subjectively and objectively. The authors predicted an increased overall mean
AQLQ(S) score as well as an increased mean score within each domain, including symptoms,
activity limitations, emotional function, and environmental stimuli. The authors also
predicted a significant increase in the mean FEV1/FVC ratio, and PEF three days after each
OMT session and a significant increase four weeks after the final OMT session, but no
increase immediately after OMT.