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Background: Respiratory muscle weakness in heart failure (HF) can deteriorate its symptoms such as fatigue, dyspnea, and impaired functional status. Pulmonary rehabilitation can strengthen these muscles. This study aimed to determine the impact of breathing exercises on fatigue severity, dyspnea, and functional classification in HF patients.
Methods: A three-arm single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 90 hospitalized HF patients in three 30-participant groups including diaphragmatic breathing group (DG), incentive spirometry group (SG), and control group (CG). The interventions were performed thrice daily for 10 days in DG and SG. The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Borg dyspnea scale, and New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification were used before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS-20 software.
Results: After the intervention, the patients' frequency with severe fatigue decreased by 30% in both DG and SG (p < 0.001); the mean dyspnea score in DG and SG respectively reduced by 0.7 and 0.9 units at rest (p < 0.001) and reduced by 2.93 and 2.73 units during activity (p < 0.001); the total patients' frequency in functional class III and IV was significantly decreased by 30% in DG and 33.3% in SG (p < 0.001). The intervention groups were not significantly different regarding fatigue severity, dyspnea, and functional classification. While in CG these outcomes had no significant reduction after the intervention.
Conclusion: In this study breathing exercises could reduce fatigue and dyspnea, and improve NYHA functional classification of HF patients which can be included in nursing care plans for respiratory rehabilitation in HF.
Trial Registration: This study was prospectively registered by the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/ ) on 14/04/2024 with registration ID: IRCT20240306061197N.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12872-024-04464-z | DOI Listing |
Respir Physiol Neurobiol
September 2025
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Duke University.
Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by a deficiency of acid α-glucosidase (GAA), an enzyme responsible for lysosomal glycogen degradation in all cells. Respiratory distress is a common symptom among patients with Pompe disease resulting from weakness of primary respiratory neuromuscular units of the diaphragm and genioglossus and the motor neurons which innervate them. The only FDA approved treatment is enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) of recombinant human GAA (rhGAA) which slows the decline of motor function and extends life expectancy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMed Phys
September 2025
Department of Radiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Background: Understanding respiratory motions of liver and its surrogate organs is crucial for precise dose delivery in liver cancer radiotherapy. Although these motions have been studied for respiratory motion management in the supine posture, few studies have quantified them and evaluated their correlations in the upright posture.
Purpose: This study quantified the respiratory motions of liver and surrogate organs and evaluated the correlations between the liver motions and surrogate signals for respiratory motion monitoring in both the supine and upright postures.
Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi
September 2025
Neuromuscular diseases are often accompanied by various types of sleep-related breathing disorders, which can exacerbate the underlying condition and are associated with a poor prognosis. Early identification is essential, and interventions such as non-invasive ventilation, oxygen therapy, and respiratory rehabilitation should be initiated promptly to mitigate disease progression and improve outcomes. Nevertheless, the rates of missed and misdiagnosed cases remain common in clinical practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJMIR Form Res
September 2025
Department of Critical Care Medicine, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangdong Provincial Geriatrics Institute, No. 106, Zhongshaner Rd, Guangzhou, 510080, China, 86 15920151904.
Background: Point-of-care ultrasonography has become a valuable tool for assessing diaphragmatic function in critically ill patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation. However, conventional diaphragm ultrasound assessment remains highly operator-dependent and subjective. Previous research introduced automatic measurement of diaphragmatic excursion and velocity using 2D speckle-tracking technology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Crit Care
September 2025
Universidade do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Campus de Joaçaba, Brazil; Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha, Joaçaba, Brazil. Electronic address:
Background: Timely extubation is essential in ICU patients, yet traditional predictors such as the rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) have limited accuracy. Diaphragm and lung ultrasound offer promising, non-invasive alternatives for assessing extubation readiness.
Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study nested within a randomized trial in a university ICU.