Impact of fan therapy during exercise on breathlessness and recovery time in patients with COPD: a pilot randomised controlled crossover trial.

backgroundPatients with COPD reduce physical activity to avoid the onset of breathlessness. Fan therapy can reduce breathlessness at rest, but the efficacy of fan therapy during exercise remains unknown in this population. The aim of the present study was to investigate 1) the effect of fan therapy on exercise-induced breathlessness and post-exercise recovery time in patients with COPD and 2) the acceptability of fan therapy during exercise; and 3) to assess the reproducibility of any observed improvements in outcome measures.

methodsA pilot single-centre, randomised, controlled, crossover open (nonmasked) trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT03137524) of fan therapy

results14 patients with COPD completed the trial per protocol (four male, 10 female; median (interquartile range (IQR)) age 66.50 (60.75 to 73.50) years); mMRC dyspnoea 3 (2 to 3)). Fan therapy resulted in lower exercise-induced breathlessness (ΔNRS; Δ modified Borg scale) (within-individual differences in medians (WIDiM) -1.00, IQR -2.00 to -0.50; p<0.01; WIDiM -0.25, IQR -2.00 to 0.00; p=0.02), greater distance walked (metres) during the 6MWT (WIDiM 21.25, IQR 12.75 to 31.88; p<0.01), and improved post-exertional breathlessness (NRS) recovery time (WIDiM -10.00, IQR -78.75 to 50.00; p<0.01). Fan therapy was deemed to be acceptable by 92% of participants.

conclusionFan therapy was acceptable and provided symptomatic relief to patients with COPD during exercise. These data will inform larger pilot studies and efficacy studies of fan therapy during exercise.