Effect of Pursed-lips Breathing Combined With Aerobic Walking Exercise on Oxygenation and Activity Endurance in Lung Cancer Patients After Lobectomy

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Complications During Rehabilitation Stay
• Interventions: Behavioral: pursing- lip breathing combined with aerobic walking exercise; Behavioral: aerobic walking exercise; Behavioral: pursing- lip breathing

• Registration Number: NCT06118164
• Lead Sponsor: Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital

Brief Summary

The effects of pursed-lip breathing or aerobic walking exercise in increasing muscle strength and motility and relieving dyspnea have been proved. However, patients with lung cancer often have decreased lung function and exercise capacity after lobectomy. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of pursed-lip breathing combined with aerobic walking exercise on postoperative oxygenation and exercise tolerance of lung cancer patients underwent lobectomy.

Detailed Description

An randomized controlled trial was used. Sixty eligible subjects from the Department of Thoracic Surgery of a regional hospital in central Taiwan participate in this study. A total of sixty subjects were randomly and equally assigned to the experimental group, control group I and control group II, to carry out postoperative both pursed lip breathing and aerobic walking exercise, pursed lip breathing, and aerobic walking exercise respectively. All three interventions were conducted 3 times a day, each lasting 15 minutes, from the 1st to 5th day after the operation. Pretests were done before the start of the three interventions on the first postoperative day, and posttests were done after the completion of the three interventions on the 5th postoperative day. Data including 6-minute walking test, Dyspnea Visual Analogue Scale, Rating scale of perceived exertion, peak expiratory flow rate and SpO2 were collected.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-04-22
• Primary Completion: 2022-06-30
• Study Completion: 2022-06-30
• Study First Submitted: 2023-10-31
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-10-31
• Status Verified: 2023-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-11-06
• Study First Posted: 2023-11-07
• Last Update Posted: 2023-11-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

• Participants aged over 20 who have been informed of the research process and are willing to participate and sign consent.
• Participants with clear consciousness, the ability to communicate in Mandarin or Taiwanese, and the ability to walk independently.
• Participants diagnosed with lung cancer who have undergone lung lobe resection surgery.

Exclusion Criteria

• Changes in the surgical plan, not undergoing at least a single lung lobe resection.
• Deterioration of postoperative condition, making it impossible to correctly perform pursed lip breathing or aerobic walking exercises.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
experimental group -pursing- lip breathing combined with aerobic walking exercise	pursing- lip breathing combined with aerobic walking exercise	For the pursed-lip breathing combined with aerobic walking exercise group (experimental group), subjects were taught to coordinate their breathing with their walking. They were instructed to inhale for two steps and exhale with pursed lips for four to five steps. Initially, they were allowed to walk at a pace that felt comfortable to them, and then gradually increase their walking speed until they reached the target aerobic heart rate, calculated using the formula: (220 - age) × 55-65% of maximum heart rate. During the walking exercise, a pulse oximeter was used to monitor their heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. Training sessions were conducted daily from the first day after surgery until the fifth day, with three sessions each day, and each session lasting for 15 minutes.
Control group 2 -aerobic walking exercise	aerobic walking exercise	For the single aerobic walking exercise group (control group 2), subjects were taught to start with their own acceptable stride and pace and then gradually increase their walking speed until they reached the target aerobic heart rate. Pulse oximeters were used to monitor their heart rate and blood oxygen saturation levels during the process. During the walking exercise, a pulse oximeter was used to monitor their heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. Training sessions were conducted daily from the first day after surgery until the fifth day, with three sessions each day, and each session lasting for 15 minutes.
Control group 1-pursed-lip breathing	pursing- lip breathing	For the group receiving single pursing- lip breathing training (control group 1), subjects were taught to perform deep inhalation through the nose (counting mentally from 1 to 2) while in a seated or standing position. They were then instructed to purse their lips and exhale slowly and steadily (counting mentally from 1 to 4). During the walking exercise, a pulse oximeter was used to monitor their heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. Training sessions were conducted daily from the first day after surgery until the fifth day, with three sessions each day, and each session lasting for 15 minutes.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Effect on Postoperative activity endurance in Lung Cancer Patients	posttests(after the completion of the three interventions on the post-op day 5)	Rating scale of perceived exertion (RPE / Borg 6-20):This scale ranges from 6 points (indicating no perceived exertion) to 20 points (indicating maximal exertion). Higher scores indicate a higher level of perceived exertion.Measurements were taken on the 5th day after surgery after three separate activities. Following the six-minute walking test, patients were asked to circle the score on the scale that corresponds to their perceived level of exertion to assess the level of exertion felt by patients after activity.
Effect on Postoperative Oxygenation in Lung Cancer Patients	posttests(after the completion of the three interventions on the post-op day 5)	Dyspnea Visual Analogue Scale (DVAS): Draw a vertical 10 cm line on an A4 white paper. Label the top end of the line as "Not Breathless" and the bottom end as "Very Breathless." The longer the distance marked on the line, the more severe the breathlessness.; Measurement Method: Measurements were taken on the 5th day after surgery, after three activities. After the patient completes a six-minute walk test, they mark their level of breathlessness on the vertical line to assess the degree of breathlessness.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Asia University; 🇨🇳 Taichung, Wufeng, Taiwan