RELAXATION THERAPY FOR ASTHMA

这项研究将评估强化放松疗法作为一种 利用乙酰甲胆碱的结果进行哮喘的非药物治疗 挑战测试作为哮喘的主要衡量标准。 哮喘的大小气道受累(用氦氧评估) 测试)和情绪对哮喘症状的贡献(评估 通过问卷调查)将被视为治疗反应的预测指标。 试点数据显示对乙酰甲胆碱挑战的治疗有反应 这比静态肺活量测定法中发现的要强。另外， 放松疗法似乎是治疗哮喘的有效方法。 伴有大气道，但不伴有小气道阻塞。本研究 将在一项有足够n的对照研究中检查这些关系。 大气道哮喘与心身疾病的关系 对哮喘的贡献也将被研究。 30名年龄在18岁到65岁之间的哮喘患者将被分配到 三个实验组中的每一个，哮喘的严重程度和相对比例相匹配 大气道阻塞与小气道阻塞。这些团体将是进步的 放松、自我放松和音乐安慰剂，以及等待名单。科目 在放松组和安慰剂组将接受8次小组会议 治疗，大约1个半小时，每周两次。预训 培训后，受试者将接受SCL-90R测试，并 情绪、身体和呼吸方面的问卷测量 哮喘发作的前兆和受试者暴露的程度 对突如其来的压力源。在会话1、4和8(或3次 对于等候名单组，大约每隔2周)受试者将 接受哮喘症状问卷调查以及会前和 FEV-1的会后措施、氦气流动力学和休息面 额肌、喉和优势斜方肌区的肌电。简要介绍 每日问卷包括药物使用、症状、 医疗干预，以及暴露在倾向于引发 症状。受试者将每天两次使用 手持式峰值流量计。期望值也将进行评估。跟进 数据将在治疗后测试后六个月内采集，并在 六个月期间，甲基甲胆碱和氦氧数据将被视为 以及在后测时给出的各种问卷测量。S遗嘱 接受补贴医疗，最大限度地激励和规范。

This study will evaluate intensive relaxation therapy as a nonpharmacological treatment of asthma, using results of methacholine challenge testing as the primary measure of asthma. Large vs. small airway involvement in asthma (as assessed by heliox testing) and emotional contributions to asthmatic symptomatology (assessed by questionnaire) will be examined as predictors of response to treatment. Pilot data suggest a response to treatment on the methacholine challenge that is stronger than that found in static spirometry assessment. Also, relaxation therapy appears to be an effective treatment for asthma accompanied by large airway, but not small airway, obstruction. This study will examine these relationships in a controlled study with an adequate n. The relationship between large airway asthma and the psychosomatic contribution to asthma also will be studied. Thirty asthmatic subjects between the ages of 18 and 65 will be assigned to each of three experimental groups, matched on asthma severity and relative large vs. small airway obstruction. The groups will be progressive relaxation, self-relaxation-and-music placebo, and waiting list. Subjects in the relaxation and placebo groups will receive 8 sessions of small group treatment, approximately 1 1/2 hours in length, twice weekly. Pretraining and post-training, subjects will be administered the SCL-90R, and questionnaire measures of the emotional, physical, and respiratory precursors of an asthmatic attack and the degree to which subjects expose themselves to precipitant stressors. At Sessions 1, 4, and 8 (or 3 times for Waiting List Group, spaced approximately every 2 weeks) subjects will be administered an asthma symptom questionnaire as well as pre-session and post-session measures of FEV-1, heliox flow mechanics, and resting surface EMG from the frontalis laryngeal and dominant trapezius areas. A brief daily questionnaire includes measures of drug usage, symptomatology, medical interventions, and exposure to situations that tend to trigger symptoms. Subjects will assess their peak flow twice daily using a hand-held peak flow meter. Expectancies will also be assessed. Follow-up data will be taken for six months following post-treatment testing, and, at the six-month period, methacholine and heliox data again will be taken as well as the various questionnaire measures given at posttest. S's will receive subsidized medical care to maximize motivation and standardization.