Diaphragmatic Breathing Retraining in Heart Failure Patients: Health-Behavior Related Outcomes

In heart failure (HF) patients, dyspnea is a key contributor to and the strongest predictor for hospital readmission. In addition, dyspnea and fatigue are the primary reasons for decreased physical activity (PA) which, in turn, leads to activity avoidance, subsequent muscle de-conditioning, and further increases of dyspnea even at lower levels of activity. Depression, because of its moderate relationship with dyspnea, can further diminish PA and increase disability in activities of daily living (ADLs). Strategies to minimize or mitigate dyspnea and to boost motivation are imperative for improving adherence to PA, and, in turn, improving fatigue, muscle strength, PA itself, functional status, disability in ADLs including basic ADLs and instrumental ADLs (IADLs), depression, and quality of life (QOL) in HF patients. The overall purpose of this pilot/feasibility study is to evaluate an 8-week, home-based DBR intervention, in HF patients who are experiencing dyspnea at rest or with daily activities. Using an experimental randomized controlled design, 50 participants over 19 years of age, with diagnosed with chronic HF, who experience dyspnea at rest or with activity and experience dyspnea that limits their activities, who have a telephone, and who reside in a rural area, will be recruited at the University of Nebraska Medical Center HF clinic and at the Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Hospital, Cardiology-Congestive Heart Failure clinic. Both groups will receive the usual care from a HF specialist. The experimental group will receive information on a Diaphragmatic Breathing Retraining (DBR) intervention whereas the health promotion (attention control) group will receive general health information. To boost adherence to the intervention and to prevent attrition from the study, both groups will receive telephone calls from a research nurse for a total of 4 sessions (weeks 1, 2, 4 and 6). During follow-ups via phone calls for the attention control group, the research personnel will discuss health promotion topics (e.g., lipids profile, health eating, cancer screening, and annual check-ups (e.g., flu shot, eye and/or dental exams) with their primary health care provider. Data collection using standardized measures, will take place at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up after completion of the 8-week intervention. The primary outcomes are: dyspnea and fatigue. The secondary outcomes are: muscle strength, PA, functional status, depression, disability in ADLs, and quality of life.