Does the use of a handheld fan improve intractable breathlessness?

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN44193804

Enrollment

Registered

2008-06-27

Start date

2005-12-13

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Breathlessness from malignant or non-malignant cause Signs and Symptoms Abnormalities of breathing

Interventions

1. Use of handheld fan directed to the face (active treatment) 2. Use of handheld fan directed to the leg (control arm of study) As per the protocol, the interventions of fan directed to face (acti

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Patient is chronically breathless 2. Dyspnoea Exertion Scale (DES) levels 2 or above 3. Any diagnosis causing intractable breathlessness 4. Aged greater than 30 years, either sex

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Anaemic patients with haemoglobin (Hb) less than 10 g/l 2. Patients with fever greater than 38.0°C in last 24 hours 3. Patients on continuous oxygen 4. Patients requiring short burst oxygen therapy whilst completing the study 5. Patients with diseases or treatment affecting the trigeminal nerve supply 6. Patients on beta blockers 7. Patients with known autonomic neuropathy 8. Patients with peripheral vascular disease 9. Patients with cerebral disease or receiving cerebral radiotherapy 10. Patients with known severe cardiac or intrapulmonary arterio-venous shunts 11. Patients unable to understand or cooperate with study 12. Patients who do not wish to participate in the study 13. Patients whose disease is not maximally medically treated

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Decrease in visual analogue scale of greater than 10 mm after use of handheld fan directed to face. The primary outcome measure was a recording of visual analogue score for breathlessness. This was measured at baseline (time zero), after 5 minutes use of fan directed to face or leg, at completion of subsequent 10 minute washout period, after 5 minutes use of second treatment ( fan to face or leg) and after final 10 minute washout period.	—

Measure

Time frame

Decrease in visual analogue scale of greater than 10 mm after use of handheld fan directed to face. The primary outcome measure was a recording of visual analogue score for breathlessness. This was measured at baseline (time zero), after 5 minutes use of fan directed to face or leg, at completion of subsequent 10 minute washout period, after 5 minutes use of second treatment ( fan to face or leg) and after final 10 minute washout period.

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
No secondary outcome measures	—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026