Effect of Slow Breathing Exercise on Glycaemic Status in Type 2 Diabetic Male Patients.

ABSTRACT

Slow breathing exercise (SBE) improves the chronic disease conditions. This study aimed to observe the effects of slow breathing exercise on glycaemic status in male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This prospective interventional study recruited sixty (60) diagnosed male type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients aged 45-55 years with disease history 5-10 years, from Out Patients Department (OPD) of Endocrinology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2015 to December 2015. Thirty patients performed SBE for 30 minutes 2 times daily for 3 months (study group) and 30 patients did not perform any breathing exercise (Control) and were under follow up for similar duration. Fasting plasma Glucose (FPG), 2 hours Post prandial plasma glucose (PPPG) and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c%) of all patients were assessed both at baseline and after3 months of study. Independent sample and paired sample t-test were used for statistical analysis. In this study the mean FPG, 2 hrs PPPG and HbA1c significantly (p<0.05) reduced in patients with SBE after 3 months whereas no significant changes in FPG, 2 hours PPPG were observed, moreover HbA1c significantly increased (p<0.01) after 3 months in patients who were not under SBE. This study reveals that slow breathing exercise significantly improves glycagemic status in type 2 diabetic patients.