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Abstract
Objective: To assess short-term changes in incentive-respirometer inspired volume and airway-clearance symptoms following a three-day glossopharyngeal breathing programme in hospitalized adults with pulmonary tuberculosis.
Methodology: This single-group quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study included 80 inpatients aged 18-60 years with drug-sensitive or drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis at the Institute of Chest Diseases, Kotri, Pakistan. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling and practised glossopharyngeal breathing for 20 repetitions daily for three days. Inspired volume was measured at baseline and day 3 with an incentive spirometer. Cough frequency was recorded before and after the programme; post-intervention sputum expectoration and chest tightness were assessed using a study-specific questionnaire. Paired-samples t testing was used for the inspired-volume comparison.
Results: Mean age was 40.51±14.26 years and 43 (53.8%) participants were male. Inspired volume increased by 430.6 mL (SD of paired difference 326.5 mL; 95% CI 358.0-503.3; t(79)=11.796; p<0.001; Cohen dz=1.32). Cough frequency shifted descriptively toward lower-frequency categories. After the programme, 45 (56.3%) participants reported easy sputum expectoration and 53 (66.3%) reported no or mild chest tightness. All participants reported feasibility and willingness to continue the technique.
Conclusions: Three days of glossopharyngeal breathing were associated with increased incentive-spirometer inspired volume and favourable symptom reports. The uncontrolled design, study-specific questionnaire and absence of diagnostic spirometry preclude causal conclusions. Controlled studies with standard pulmonary-function testing and validated airway-clearance outcomes are required.