Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39794689›Full record

Trial reportBMC cardiovascular disorders2025

Comparison of diaphragmatic breathing exercises and incentive spirometry on the functional status of heart failure patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Amirhossein Nasirmoghadas, Fateme Monjazebi, Malihe Nasiri, Aydin Feyzi, Fariba Borhani

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialComparative Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC cardiovascular disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Amirhossein NasirmoghadasStudent Research Committee, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID 0009-0005-5848-4268
Fateme MonjazebiDepartment of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID 0000-0001-8311-0296
Malihe NasiriDepartment of Pediatric Nursing and NICU, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID 0000-0003-1496-7442
Aydin FeyziStudent Research Committee, Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.ORCID 0000-0001-6152-1342
Fariba BorhaniDepartment of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. faribaborhani@sbmu.ac.ir.ORCID 0000-0002-8937-2649

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRespiratory 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.

methodsA 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.

resultsAfter 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.

conclusionIn 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 registrationThis study was prospectively registered by the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/ ) on 14/04/2024 with registration ID: IRCT20240306061197N.

Indexed as

Breathing ExercisesDiaphragmDyspneaFatigueHeart FailureLungSpirometryAgedFemaleFunctional StatusHumansMaleMiddle AgedRecovery of FunctionSeverity of Illness IndexSingle-Blind MethodBreathing exercisesDyspneaFatigueFunctional classificationHeart failure

Identifiers

PMID39794689
PMCPMC11724584

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.