OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO-ID: CRD42019130156) METHODS: Eligibility criteria: Randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of at least 8 weeks of aerobic exercise training on outcomes for asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma. Information sources: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched up to 3 April 2019. RISK OF BIAS: Risk of bias was assessed by the "Cochrane risk of bias tool". RESULTS: Included studies: We included 11 studies with a total of 543 adults with asthma. Participants ' mean age was 36.5 years (range 22 to 54 years); 74.8% of participants were women and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.6 kg/m2 (range 23.2 to 38.1 kg/m2). Interventions had a median duration of 12 weeks (range 8 to 12 weeks) and included walking, jogging, spinning, treadmill running and other unspecified exercise training programmes. SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS: Exercise training improved asthma control with a standard mean difference (SMD) of -0.48 (-0.81 to -0.16). Lung function slightly increased with an SMD of -0.36 (-0.72 to 0.00) in favour of exercise training. Exercise training had no apparent effect on markers of airway inflammation (SMD -0.03 (-0.41 to 0.36)). CONCLUSIONS: In adults with asthma, aerobic exercise training has potential to improve asthma control and lung function but not airway inflammation.
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