Russian Trials:

The two official approvals (1968: in the USSR Ministry of Health NSRI of Pulmonology, 1981: in the 1st Mosccow Medical Institute named after I. M. Sechenov), minutes of the USSR Ministry of Health Academic Council 18-12\38-24 of July 15,1982, minutes of the USSR Government Committee for Innovators and Discoveries 12\30-680\28 of July 27,1983, reports of experts, such as Academicians N. M. Amossov, M. F. Guly, S. Ye. Severin, and the long practical use of the Buteyko Method that has revealed the diseases to be cured by the above method, presented good bases for granting the Certificates of Authorship (patents) for the Method. In 1985 the USSR Minister of Health Order 591 of April, 30 1985 initiates use of the Buteyko Method in medicine. Statistics handling of the Buteyko Method therapy for various diseases and observation of results have revealed high efficiency of the Method (up to 96%).

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Australian Trials:

Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised trial “In conclusion, we found that those practising BBT reduced hyperventilation and their use of beta 2-agonists. A trend toward reduced inhaled steroid use and better quality of life was observed in these patients without changes in objective measures of airway calibre.”
Source: Simon D Bowler, Amanda Green and Charles A Mitchell Medical Journal of Australia 1998; 169:575-578 Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised trial

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New Zealand Trials:

Buteyko Breathing Technique for asthma: an effective intervention “The BBT group exhibited a reduction in inhaled steroid use of 50% and ß2-agonist use of 85% at six months from baseline. In the control group inhaled steroid use was unchanged and ß2-agonist use was reduced by 37% from baseline. Investigator contact between the two groups was equal. There were no adverse events recorded in either group.
Conclusions BBT is a safe and efficacious asthma management technique. BBT has clinical and potential pharmaco-economic benefits that merit further study. “
Source: Patrick McHugh, Fergus Aitcheson, Bruce Duncan, Frank Houghton Journal of the New Zealand Medical Association, 12-December-2003, Vol 116 No 1187

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UK Trial: Health Education in Asthma Management - Does the Buteyko Institute Method Make a Difference?
Asthma Symptoms: Buteyko Group - decreased by 98%, 6 months and remained same at 12 months - Placebo and Control Groups - no significant change
Reliever Medication: Buteyko Group - decreased by 98%, 6 months, and remained same at 12 months - Placebo and Control Groups - no significant change
Preventer Medication: Buteyko Group - decreased by 92%, 6 months and remained same 12 months - Placebo and Control Groups - no significant change
Reliever Oral Preparations: Buteyko Group - decreased by 100%, 6 months and remained same at 12 months - Placebo and Control Groups - no significant change
Preventer Oral Preparations: Buteyko Group - decreased by 96%, 6 months and remained same at 12 months - Placebo and Control Groups - no significant change
Instance of cold or viral infection: Buteyko Group - decreased by 20%, 6 months and remained same at 12 months - Placebo and Control Groups - no significant change
The participants involved in this study all experienced significant improvement in asthma with a reduction in symptom, medication and improvement in quality of life. This was maintained over the duration of the study and is similar to the results of Brisbane Study (Bowler S 1998 BMU) and unpublished study by Dr G Spence G.P. in Shettleston Health Centre (Spence. G.).
J. McGowan, Education and Training Consultant, Acorn Nursing Agency, Glasgow
Thorax Vol 58, suppl III, page 28, December 2003.

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Canada Trial 2006:

R.L. Cowie, D.P. Conley, M.F. Underwood, P.G. Reader, "A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Buteyko Technique for Asthma Management", American Thoracic Society Abstracts online. http://www.abstracts2view.com/ats06/view.php?nu=ATS06L_1512 The Buteyko technique (BT) was developed to address the hypothesis that asthma is caused by hyperventilation. BT is designed to train people with asthma to breathe less and thus reset their arterial CO2 at a higher level. The study was designed to compare the Buteyko technique with a similarly structured program in which subjects with asthma were trained by a physical therapist (PT) to perform relaxation and other breathing techniques considered routine by PT for asthma.129 subjects with asthma on inhaled corticosteroids were enrolled: 64 were randomized to BT and 65 to the control group. The primary outcome variable was the proportion of subjects whose asthma was controlled 6 months after completion of the program. Secondary outcomes included quality of life (QOL), reduction of the dose of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) expressed as beclomethasone equivalent and spirometry. No differences in any of the relevant variables were apparent between the two groups on entry. At 6 months, 9 BT and 1 control subject were lost to follow up. The average proportion with disease control had increased from 41% to 75% with no difference between the two groups. Juniper Mini QOL had improved in both groups (+0.95, sd 1.1, p < 0.00001) with no difference between BT and control. The average daily dose of ICS after 6 months was lower in the Buteyko group (548 mcg versus 762 mcg, p = 0.02). 12 BT and 4 control had stopped ICS (p = 0.02). Of the subjects who achieved asthma control, 10 BT and 4 control were no longer using ICS (p = 0.02) No differences were apparent in spirometry between the groups or compared with entry. Conclusion: Both groups displayed substantial improvement in asthma control 6 months after the interventions. The Buteyko group achieved improvement of their asthma status and reduction in ICS.

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