Effect of Combination of Different Postures and Pursed Lips Breathing on Dyspnea and Pulmonary Functions among Patients with Asthma

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of tripod and prostration positions with pursed-lip breathing on dyspnea and pulmonary function in adult asthma patients.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the emergency units of Imam Hussein Medical City in Karbala, Iraq 1st December 2024 to 30th September 2025.

Methods: In this study 90 adult asthma patients were enrolled. The patients were divided into control, tripod, and prostrate groups (n=30 for each group).

Results: The significant improvements in the intervention groups: tripod positioning reduced respiratory rate by 45.4% (p<.001, d=2.23) and increased SpO2 by 3.8% (p<.001, d=1.46), while prostrate positioning showed moderate effects (respiratory rate d=0.67, peripheral oxygen saturation d=0.86). Dyspnea severity decreased markedly, with tripod positioning doubling mild dyspnea cases (16.7% to 40%) and halving severe cases (43.3% to 20%).

Conclusion: The tripod positioning, when combined with pursed-lip breathing, offers superior clinical benefits for acute asthma management compared to prostrate positioning.