The hand-held fan & the Calming Hand for people with chronic breathlessness: a feasibility trial

Swan, Flavia; Johnson, Miriam

Abstract

Introduction: The battery operated hand-held fan (“fan”) and the Calming Hand (CH), a cognitive strategy, may be helpful for chronic breathlessness.
Objective: To test the feasibility of a phase III randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the impact of the fan and/or CH compared with exercise advice alone for the relief of chronic breathlessness due to respiratory conditions.
Methods: Single site, feasibility “2x2” factorial, non-blinded, mixed-methods RCT. Participants randomly allocated to four groups: fan + exercise advice vs CH + exercise advice vs fan + CH + exercise advice vs exercise advice alone. Measures included: recruitment, acceptability; data quality and study outcomes (baseline, day 28); modified incremental shuttle walk test (mISWT), recovery time from exertion-induced breathlessness, Life-space, General Self-Efficacy Scale and breathlessness numerical rating scales. Willing participants and carers were interviewed at study end.
Results: Recruitment/acceptability/data quality: 53 people were screened, 40 randomised and completed; (mean age 72 years (SD 9.8), 70% male). There were few missing data (2 mISWT). Recovery time [seconds] from exertion-induced breathlessness showed most improvement for the fan; mean reduction from baseline -33.5 vs CH mean increase from baseline 5.7. This represents a recovery speed at day 28 -20.4% faster for the fan vs 4.1% slower for the CH.
Qualitative data indicated participants valued the faster recovery and identified the fan as a useful “medical” device, but found the CH unhelpful.
Conclusion: A phase III RCT is feasible. Mixed-method data synthesis supports recovery time as a novel, meaningful outcome measure.

Citation

Swan, F., & Johnson, M. (2017, September). The hand-held fan & the Calming Hand for people with chronic breathlessness: a feasibility trial. Presented at ERS International Congress 2017, Milan, Italy

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Abstract
• Conference Name: ERS International Congress 2017
• Start Date: Sep 9, 2017
• End Date: Sep 13, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Dec 6, 2017
• Publication Date: 2017
• Deposit Date: Apr 14, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 24, 2024
• Print ISSN: 0903-1936
• Electronic ISSN: 1399-3003
• Publisher: European Respiratory Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 50
• Issue: suppl 61
• Article Number: PA749
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1183/1393003.congress-2017.pa749
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/1226710