PMID- 21803755
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20120118
LR  - 20110819
IS  - 1879-0844 (Electronic)
IS  - 1388-9842 (Linking)
VI  - 13
IP  - 9
DP  - 2011 Sep
TI  - Impact of device-guided slow breathing on symptoms of chronic heart failure: a 
      randomized, controlled feasibility study.
PG  - 1000-5
LID - 10.1093/eurjhf/hfr090 [doi]
AB  - AIMS: In many patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) even normal daily life 
      activities cause dyspnoea and fatigue, well-being might be considerably improved 
      by even a modest decrease in such symptoms. The aim of this study was to 
      investigate if lowering breathing rate with the help of a respiratory modulation 
      (RM) device could improve symptoms in patients with CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: 
      Stable CHF patients with symptoms of dyspnoea were randomized to twice-daily 20 
      min sessions using an RM device or to music listening (ML) using a CD player, for 
      a 4-week study period. Respiratory modulation guides the user to achieve a slow 
      breathing rate (<10 breaths/min) while increasing exhalation time (Tex) relative 
      to inhalation time (Tin). Lower breathing rate was accomplished by synchronizing 
      respiratory movements with musical tones generated in response to breathing 
      movements monitored with a belt-type sensor. Endpoints were reduced 
      breathlessness and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class. Seventy-two patients 
      (52 male, age 73 +/- 11 years, NYHA 3.1 +/- 0.9) were randomized and 65 completed the 
      study (30 RM and 35 ML, respectively). There was no in-between group improvement 
      in breathlessness and NYHA class. Patients in the RM group who displayed an 
      average increase in Tex/Tin of >0.2 and a reduction in the average respiration 
      rate during 30 sessions were considered responders. Responders reported reduced 
      breathlessness (-0.86 +/- 0.23 units, P < 0.005) and improved NYHA class (-0.64 +/- 
      0.20, P < 0.01) compared with non-responders. CONCLUSION: Device-guided RM might 
      have the potential to relieve symptoms of heart failure in outpatients by 
      changing their breathing pattern.
FAU - Ekman, Inger
AU  - Ekman I
AD  - Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of 
      Gothenburg, Sweden.
FAU - Kjellstrom, Barbro
AU  - Kjellstrom B
FAU - Falk, Kristin
AU  - Falk K
FAU - Norman, Jonna
AU  - Norman J
FAU - Swedberg, Karl
AU  - Swedberg K
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Randomized Controlled Trial
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20110728
PL  - England
TA  - Eur J Heart Fail
JT  - European journal of heart failure
JID - 100887595
SB  - IM
MH  - Aged
MH  - Dyspnea/physiopathology/therapy
MH  - Feasibility Studies
MH  - Female
MH  - Heart Failure/physiopathology/*therapy
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Respiratory Therapy/*instrumentation
MH  - Severity of Illness Index
MH  - Treatment Outcome
EDAT- 2011/08/02 06:00
MHDA- 2012/01/19 06:00
CRDT- 2011/08/02 06:00
PHST- 2011/08/02 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2011/08/02 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2012/01/19 06:00 [medline]
AID - hfr090 [pii]
AID - 10.1093/eurjhf/hfr090 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Eur J Heart Fail. 2011 Sep;13(9):1000-5. doi: 10.1093/eurjhf/hfr090. Epub 2011 
      Jul 28.