An interventional study of Digital Breathing Biofeedback system in Dysfunctional Breathing and Breathing Pattern Disorder, sponsored by University of Salford. Recruiting at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-19.
Sponsored by University of Salford · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The primary aim will be to understand whether a digital breathing biofeedback system can improve the outcomes of physiotherapist guided breathing retraining.
Approximately 10% of people in the United Kindom exhibit some form of dysfunctional breathing. This term describes a range of conditions which are characterised by an impairment in the muscular control of breathing and which can result in breathlessness, hyperventilation and, in some cases, dizziness. Current clinical assessment techniques and treatments for dysfunctional breathing are low-tech. The investigators propose that patients would get more benefit from a system which uses biofeedback on muscle patterns to guide breathing re-education. The investigators have developed a new digital health system for the clinical management of dysfunctional breathing. The system uses an avatar to provide biofeedback to communicate abnormal muscle function in real-time, guiding patients through a process in which they gradually learn the correct muscular control of breathing. The proposed intervention seeks to understand if the addition of a digital breathing biofeedback system improves the outcomes of physiotherapy guided breathing retraining. Patients awaiting respiratory physiotherapy for dysfunctional breathing will be recruited to receive 4 sessions of breathing retraining with the assistance of the digital breathing biofeedback system. All patients will complete lung function tests and Quality of Life questionnaires pre- and post- treatment. Patients will also be offered an interview to understand their experiences of using the system.
University of Salford is the lead sponsor of 27 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients will receive 4 physiotherapist-guided breathing retraining sessions with the digital breathing biofeedback system.
Behavioral: Digital Breathing Biofeedback system
The biofeedback system provides information to the patient and physio about the muscle coordination of breathing.
Change in Lung Function
Spirometry test of lung volume will be measured included tidal volume and forced expiratory volumes. (Larger volumes = better lung function)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 8 weeks
Change in Nijmegen Score
Used to capture the extent of hyperventilation. Score 0-64 (0=no hyperventilation, 64=maximum hyperventilation)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 8 weeks
Change in the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire
Used ot evaluate cognitive and emotional representations of illness. Score 0-80 (0=no threatening perception of illness, 80=maximum threatening perception of illness)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 8 weeks
Change in Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Used to measure depression.Score 0-28 (0=no depression, 28=maximum depression)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 8 weeks
Change in the Generalised anxieity disorder (GAD-7)
Used to measure anxiety. Score 0-21 (no = no anxieity, 21=maximum anxiety)
Time frame: Change from Baseline to 8 weeks
Plan to share: Undecided — The investigators may make the clinical data available through a document which will be linked to the final published journal paper
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University of Salford