Investigation of Physical Activity Level, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Quality of Life in Patients With Asthma

The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the physical activity level in patients with asthma. The secondary aims of the study are assesment of maximal and functional exercise capacity, respiratory functions, respiratory muscle strength and endurance, peripheral muscle strength, depression and anxiety levels, disease specific and respiratory quality of life, sleep and coughing associated quality of life, asthma self-management knowledge level and fatigue severity in patients with asthma.

Asthma is an obstructive pulmonary disease and thus it affects respiratory functions. Dyspnea, fatigue and bronchial hyperreactivity symptoms are commonly seen on patients with asthma. It is known that physical activity level of asthmatic patients is reduced. Few researches have investigated asthmatic patients' physical activity level and these researches mainly focused on self reported physical activity level. How differing maximal and submaximal exercise capacity of asthmatic patients is not well known. Because previous researches compared only different severity levels of the disease. It is reported that peripheral muscle strength of asthmatic patients is lower than healthy individuals' peripheral muscle strength. But evidences about this subject are insufficient. Asthmatic patients' respiratory muscle strength is lower than healthy individuals' respiratory muscle strength. But it is not clear if endurance is lower as respiratory muscle strength too, or not. It is reported that quality of life of asthmatic patients is worst than healthy individuals'. According to the sample size analysis 36 patients and 36 healthy individuals with similar demographic characteristics will be included the study. Patients and healthy individuals will be selected according to predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The assessments will be completed in two days. Maximal exercise capacity will be assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), functional exercise capacity using six minute stepper test, physical activity using multi-sensor activity monitor, pulmonary function using spirometry, respiratory muscle strength using mouth pressure device, peripheral muscle strength using hand held dynamometer, respiratory muscle endurance using incremental threshold loading test, depression using Beck Depression Inventory (Turkish version), anxiety using Beck Anxiety Inventory (Turkish version), disease specific quality of life using Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (Turkish version) and St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (Turkish version), cough related quality of life using Leicester Cough Questionnaire (Turkish version), sleep related quality of life using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (Turkish version), asthma control level using Asthma Control Test (Turkish version), disease management knowledge level using Asthma Self-Management Questionnaire (Turkish version).

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion criteria for asthma group: Patients who are;

* Between 18-65 years
* Diagnosed with asthma
* Receiving standard medical treatment
* Asthma Control Test score ≥ 20 point
* No smoker or ex-smoker (if ex-smoker, smoke exposure below 10 packyears)
* Willing to participate in the study

Exclusion criteria for asthma group: Patients who are;

* Have cooperation difficulty
* Have pulmonary disease (except asthma for asthma group)
* Have any cardiac, neurological or orthopedic disease that affects functional capacity
* Have pneumonia or acute infection (at last one month)
* Have been used oral corticosteroids at last one year
* Have any psychiatric diseases
* Refusing to participate
* Received or are receiving non-standard medical treatment will be excluded from study.

Inclusion criteria for healthy group: Participants who are;

* Between 18-65 years without any diagnosed disease
* No smoker or ex-smoker (if ex-smoker, smoke exposure below 10 packyears)
* Willing to participate in the study will be included in healthy group.