Battery operated fan and chronic breathlessness: does it help?

Abstract

ObjectivesTo examine whether use of a hand-held fan (‘fan’) improves breathlessness and increases physical activity.MethodsA secondary exploratory analysis using pooled data from the fan arms of two feasibility randomised controlled trials in people with chronic breathlessness: (1) fan and activity advice vs activity advice, (2) activity advice alone or with the addition or the ‘calming hand’, or the fan, or both. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis to explore patient characteristics associated with benefit (eg age, sex, diagnosis, general self-efficacy).ResultsForty-one participants were allocated the fan (73 years (IQR 65–76, range 46–88), 59% male, 20 (49%) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), three (7%) heart failure, three (7%) cancer). Thirty-five (85%) reported that the fan helped breathing, and 22 (54%) reported increased physical activity.Breathlessness benefit was more likely in older people, those with COPD and those with a carer. However, due to the small sample size none of these findings were statistically significant. Those with COPD were more likely to use the fan than people with other diagnoses (OR 5.94 (95% CI 0.63 to 56.21, p=0.120)).ConclusionsThese exploratory data support that the fan helps chronic breathlessness in most people and adds new data to indicate that the fan is perceived to increase people’s physical activity. There is also a signal of possible particular benefits in people with COPD which is worthy of further study.

Non-medical devices for chronic breathlessness: use, barriers and facilitators for patients, carers and clinicians - a scoping review

“…The non-medical devices used was the fan in five studies (9)(10)(11)(12)17) and mobility aids in two (31,32). We decided to include two secondary analyses studies (10,17) in addition to the two primary papers included in the review as it permitted inclusion of fan data not published in the primary papers (11,12) and report an in-depth exploration of the benefits and factors associated with fan use (10).…”

“…Five studies (n=327) contained data about fan use of (9)(10)(11)(12)17). Two studies were secondary pooled data analyses; survey data from two randomised control trials (RCTs) (n=41) (17) and qualitative interviews from three mixed-methods RCTs (n=133) (10).…”

“…Stimulation of the lower branches of the trigeminal nerve, the nasal and upper airway flow receptors is thought to modulate central afferent respiratory centres, leading to decreased neural respiratory drive, and thereby also the perceived sensation of breathlessness (13)(14)(15)(16). Preliminary work also indicates that the fan can shorten recovery times from exertion-related breathlessness (11,17) and encourage increased physical activity (17) and less reliance on inhaled beta-agonists (10,17).…”

The Effect Of The Hand Held Fan In Management Of The Dyspnea

“…İki çalışmada ise elektrikli fan kullanılmıştır (20,21). İki çalışmada el fanı uygulaması hastadan 15 cm uzaktan gerçekleştirilmiştir (16,22). Elektrikli fanın kullanıldığı bir çalışmada ise fan bir metre uzağa yerleştirilmiştir (21).…”

“…Çalışmaların beş tanesinde fan uygulama süresi beş dakika olarak belirtilmiş diğer çalışmalarda ise uygulama süresi ile ilgili herhangi bir bilgi verilmemiştir (15,16,(18)(19)(20). Farklı hasta gruplarının katılımı ile gerçekleştirilen birçok çalışmada orta ve şiddetli dispneli hastalara beş dakika boyunca, 15 cm uzaktan, burnun iki yanı ve üst dudağın üst kısımlarına fan uygulanmasının etkili bir yaklaşım olabileceği bildirilmiştir (14,15,(18)(19)(20)(22)(23)(24)(25).…”