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| Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary condition in which lung disease affects all patients. In addition to pulmonary involvement, the multisystemic components of CF cause significant physical limitations. However, the impact of lung function on balance control in CF has not been studied. Objective: To assess body balance in adults with CF and to test its possible associations with lung function, nutritional status, and functional capacity. Method: This was a cross-sectional study in which 14 adults with CF underwent pulmonary function testing (spirometry, body plethysmography, and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLco), respiratory muscle strength, 6-min walking distance (6MWD), Berg balance scale (BBS), nutritional analysis (body mass index and bioelectrical impedance), and stabilometry. Body balance was quantified using stabilometry; all participants performed the following two trials: opened base, eyes open (OBEO); closed base, eyes closed (CBEC). Results: In stabilometry, the median for the lateral range and anterior-posterior range in the CBEC trial was 0.10 (0.08-0.11) and 0.13 (0.11-0.22), respectively (p<0.05). The maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) correlated inversely with the lateral standard deviation (ρ=-0.61; p<0.05) as the DLco correlated positively with the anterior-posterior range (ρ=0.54; p<0.05). There were significant relationships between body composition indexes and almost all stabilometric variables measured. There were no relationships of the BBS and 6MWD with the stabilometric variables. Conclusions: In adults with CF, imbalance occurs mainly in the anterior-posterior direction and is especially associated with body composition.Keywords: cystic fibrosis; rehabilitation; respiratory function tests; postural balance; psychomotor performance; nutrition assessment. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLEPenafortes JTS, Guimarães FS, Ribeiro Moço VJ, Almeida VP, Menezes SLS, Lopes AJ. Relationship between body balance, lung function, nutritional status and functional capacity in adults with cystic fibrosis. Braz J Phys Ther. 2013 Sept-Oct; 17(5):450-457. http://dx

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Adult patients with asthma exhibit specific postural disorders that correlate with pulmonary function and body composition. The assessment of postural variables may provide a better pulmonary rehabilitation approach for these patients.

Chest physical therapy techniques are essential in order to reduce the frequency of recurrent pulmonary infections that progressively affect lung function in cystic fibrosis patients. Recently, ELTGOL (L’Expiration Lente Totale Glotte Ouverte en décubitus Latéral) emerged as an inexpensive and easy to perform therapeutic option. The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of ELTGOL and the Flutter valve in stable adult patients with cystic fibrosis. [Subjects and Methods] This was a randomized, crossover study with a sample of cystic fibrosis outpatients. The subjects underwent two protocols (Flutter Valve and ELTGOL interventions, referred to as ELTGOL and FLUTTER) in a randomized order with a one-week washout interval between them. The main outcomes were pulmonary function variables and expectorated sputum dry weight. [Results] ELTGOL cleared 0.34 g more of secretions than FLUTTER (95% CI 0.11 to 0.57). When comparing the physiological effects of ELTGOL and FLUTTER, the first was superior in improving airway resistance (−0.51 cmH2O/L/s; 95% CI −0.88 to −0.14) and airway conductance (0.016 L/s/cmH2O; 95% CI 0.008 to 0.023). [Conclusion] ELTGOL promoted higher secretion removal and improvement in airway resistance and conductance than the Flutter valve. These techniques were equivalent in reducing the pulmonary hyperinflation and air trapping in cystic fibrosis patients.

OBJECTIVE:Asthma may cause systemic repercussions due to its severity and the effects of treatment. Our objective was to compare posture, balance, functional capacity, and quality of life (QOL) according to the severity of disease, as assessed by pulmonary function levels.METHOD:This cross-sectional study evaluated fifty individuals with asthma. We compared two groups of adult individuals who were divided according to the median of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) as follows: group A  =  FEV1>74% predicted; group B  =  FEV1<74% predicted. All patients underwent the following tests: spirometry, whole-body plethysmography, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLco), respiratory muscle strength, posture assessment, stabilometry, six-minute walking distance (6MWD), and QOL.RESULTS:All pulmonary function variables exhibited statistically significant differences between the two groups, except for the DLco. The maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and 6MWD were lower in group B. The maximal mediolateral velocity and the mediolateral displacement were significantly different, while the postural changes and QOL were similar between the groups.CONCLUSIONS:In adult individuals with asthma, the pulmonary function is associated with balance control in the mediolateral direction but does not influence the postural changes or QOL.

The present study shows that abnormalities in pulmonary function and functional capacity are associated with postural changes in adults with CF. However the severity of the postural abnormalities does not negatively influence the CFQ-R domains.