PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Dyspnea is an unpleasant subjective symptom and is associated with decreased physical activity level (PAL). Effect of blowing air toward the face has received a great deal of attention as a symptomatic therapy for dyspnea. However, little is known about the duration of its effect and its impact on PAL. Therefore, this study aimed to measure dyspnea severity and changes in dyspnea and PALs with air blasts to the face.
METHODS: The trial conducted was open-label, randomized, and controlled. This study included out-patients with dyspnea caused by chronic respiratory deficiency. Subjects were provided a small fan and instructed to blow air toward their faces either twice a day or when having trouble breathing. Subsequently, severity of dyspnea and PALs was measured using visual analog scale and physical activity scale for the elderly (PASE), respectively, before and after 3-week treatment. Amounts of changes in dyspnea and PALs before and after treatment were compared using analysis of covariance.
RESULTS: Overall, 36 subjects were randomized, and 34 were analyzed. Mean age was 75.4 y (26 males [76.5%] and 8 females [23.5%]). Visual analog scale score for dyspnea (SD) before treatment was 33 (13.9) mm and 42 (17.5) mm in the control and intervention groups, respectively. PASE score before treatment was 78.0 (45.1) and 57.7 (38.0) in the control and intervention groups, respectively. No significant difference in changes in dyspnea severity and PAL was observed between the 2 groups.
CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was observed for dyspnea and PALs in subjects after blowing air toward their own faces with a small fan for 3 weeks at home. Disease variability and impact of protocol violations were high due to small number of cases. Further studies with a design focused on subject protocol adherence and measurement methods are required to understand impact of air flow on dyspnea and PAL.
METHODS: The trial conducted was open-label, randomized, and controlled. This study included out-patients with dyspnea caused by chronic respiratory deficiency. Subjects were provided a small fan and instructed to blow air toward their faces either twice a day or when having trouble breathing. Subsequently, severity of dyspnea and PALs was measured using visual analog scale and physical activity scale for the elderly (PASE), respectively, before and after 3-week treatment. Amounts of changes in dyspnea and PALs before and after treatment were compared using analysis of covariance.
RESULTS: Overall, 36 subjects were randomized, and 34 were analyzed. Mean age was 75.4 y (26 males [76.5%] and 8 females [23.5%]). Visual analog scale score for dyspnea (SD) before treatment was 33 (13.9) mm and 42 (17.5) mm in the control and intervention groups, respectively. PASE score before treatment was 78.0 (45.1) and 57.7 (38.0) in the control and intervention groups, respectively. No significant difference in changes in dyspnea severity and PAL was observed between the 2 groups.
CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was observed for dyspnea and PALs in subjects after blowing air toward their own faces with a small fan for 3 weeks at home. Disease variability and impact of protocol violations were high due to small number of cases. Further studies with a design focused on subject protocol adherence and measurement methods are required to understand impact of air flow on dyspnea and PAL.
摘要：
背景：呼吸困难是一种令人不快的主观症状，与体力活动水平（PAL）下降有关。作为呼吸困难的症状疗法，向面部吹气的效果受到了广泛的关注。然而,对其作用的持续时间及其对PAL的影响知之甚少。因此,这项研究的目的是测量呼吸困难的严重程度以及呼吸困难和PAL的变化。方法：进行的试验是开放标签，随机化，和控制。这项研究包括因慢性呼吸不足引起的呼吸困难的门诊患者。为患者提供了一个小风扇，并指示每天两次或在呼吸困难时将空气吹向面部。随后，使用视觉模拟量表（VAS）和老年人体力活动量表（PASE）测量呼吸困难和PAL的严重程度，分别,3周治疗前后。使用协方差分析比较治疗前后呼吸困难和PAL的变化量。结果：总体而言，36名受试者被随机分组,34名被分析。平均年龄为75.4岁（26名男性[76.5％]和8名女性[23.5％]）。对照组和干预组治疗前呼吸困难VAS评分(标准差)分别为33(13.9)mm和42(17.5)mm,分别。对照组和干预组治疗前PASE评分分别为78.0(45.1)和57.7(38.0)。两组在呼吸困难严重程度和PAL的变化方面没有显着差异。结论：在家中用小风扇向自己的脸上吹气3周后，患者的呼吸困难和PAL没有显着差异。由于病例数量少，疾病变异性和违反协议的影响很高。需要进一步研究以受试者方案依从性和测量方法为重点的设计，以了解气流对呼吸困难和PAL的影响。
