Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28818884›Full record

Trial reportThe European respiratory journal2017

Contributions of a hand-held fan to self-management of chronic breathlessness.

Tim Luckett, Jane Phillips, Miriam J Johnson, Morag Farquhar, Flavia Swan, Teresa Assen, Priyanka Bhattarai, Sara Booth

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in The European respiratory journal, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Palliative Care for Patients with Severe Chronic Lung Diseases: A Swiss Position Paper.Respiration; international review of thoracic diseases · 2025
    Review
  13. Application of Fan Therapy in Alleviating Dyspnea.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2025
    Review
  14. Article
  15. Observational
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Tim LuckettFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia tim.luckett@uts.edu.au.
Jane PhillipsFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Miriam J JohnsonHull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Morag FarquharSchool of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
Flavia SwanHull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK.
Teresa AssenFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Priyanka BhattaraiFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Sara BoothBreathlessness Intervention Service and Dept of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Funding

Department of Health PB-PG-0609-19066
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study explored the benefits of a hand-held fan as perceived by patients with chronic breathlessness and their carers.A secondary multimethod analysis was conducted of interview data collected in three clinical trials. Two researchers independently coded level of benefit qualitatively reported by each patient. Univariate and multivariate statistics were used to explore perceived benefit as a factor of sex, age and diagnosis. Qualitative analysis used an integrative method.133 patients commented on the fan, of whom 72 had a carer. Diagnoses included nonmalignant (n=91, 68.4%) and malignant (n=21, 15.8%) conditions. Of 111 patients who provided codable data, four (3.6%) perceived no benefit, 16 (14.4%) were uncertain, 80 (72.0%) perceived some benefit and 11 (10.0%) perceived very substantial benefit. Multivariate analysis was inconclusive. Benefit was described in terms of shorter recovery time, especially after activity. 10 (7.5%) patients said the fan reduced their need for home oxygen or inhaled β-agonist medications. Negative perceptions of a few included dislike of the cooling sensation and embarrassment in public.Findings suggest that a hand-held fan is a portable intervention with few disadvantages from which most patients with chronic breathlessness will derive benefit alongside other nonpharmacological and pharmacological strategies. Research is needed to optimise guidance on fan administration.

Indexed as

Airway ManagementDyspneaSelf-ManagementAgedChronic DiseaseEquipment DesignFemaleHumansLung NeoplasmsMaleMiddle AgedPalliative CarePulmonary Disease, Chronic ObstructiveSelf-ControlSeverity of Illness IndexSocial Perception

Identifiers

PMID28818884

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.