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Effect of Breathing Exercises Applied to Hemodialysis Patients on Anxiety, Fatigue and Quality of Life

Effect of Breathing Exercises Applied to Hemodialysis Patients on Anxiety, Fatigue and Quality of Life

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06613048
Acronym
Exercise
Enrollment
52
Registered
2024-09-25
Start date
2025-02-17
Completion date
2025-06-23
Last updated
2025-06-29

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

Conditions

Exercise, Hemodialysis

Keywords

Anxiety, Fatigue, quality of life

Brief summary

Breathing exercises are one of the non-pharmacological methods frequently used in health care in recent years. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of breathing exercises on fatigue, anxiety symptoms and quality of life in hemodialysis patients.

Detailed description

Introduction: Breathing exercises are one of the non-pharmacological methods frequently used in health care in recent years. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of breathing exercises on fatigue, anxiety symptoms and quality of life in hemodialysis patients. Method: This study will be conducted using a randomized controlled experimental research design at the pre-test-post-test level. The research sample will consist of 58 hemodialysis patients who meet the inclusion criteria of the sample and who apply to the hemodialysis unit of a training and research hospital. The research data will be collected using the personal information form, Beck anxiety inventory, Piper fatigue scale and SF-12 quality of life scales. The pre-test data of the research will be filled in the first interview with the patients and the post-test data will be applied at the end of the 6th week. Conclusion: Maintaining physical and psychological comfort and improving the quality of life of patients receiving hemodialysis treatment are among the primary responsibilities of the nurse. In this regard, it is predicted that breathing exercises will be beneficial in controlling physical and psychological symptoms.

Interventions

OTHERBreathing exercise

The researcher has a certificate in breathing exercises. Those who consent to participate in the study that meets the research criteria will be given training with a prepared training brochure about correct breathing technique, introduction and function of the diaphragm muscle, box breathing technique, diaphragm breathing technique and benefits of correct breathing before the exercise. Box breathing technique will be applied in addition to standard treatment, 3 sets per day (morning, noon and evening) for 6 weeks, 10 repetitions in each set. Diaphragm breathing exercise will be applied in addition to standard treatment, lasting 2 minutes in the first week, then increasing each week and reaching 12 minutes in the 6th week, as 3 sets (morning, noon and evening).

Sponsors

Amasya University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Being over the age of 18 * Being willing to participate in the study * Speaking and understanding Turkish * Having started hemodialysis treatment at least 6 months ago

Exclusion criteria

* Being on hemodialysis treatment with a diagnosis of stage 4 renal failure * Being on hemodialysis treatment due to acute renal failure * Having a malignancy related to the respiratory system (bronchus or lung) * Having chest pain . -Having previously done box breathing and diaphragmatic breathing exercises/receiving training * Having cognitive dysfunction * Not giving consent to participate in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Beck Anxiety Inventory6 weekBeck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) is designed to measure the frequency of anxiety symptoms experienced by an individual. The scale, consisting of 21 items, is a Likert-type assessment scale scored between 0-3. Individuals rate each item by giving a score between 0-3 to determine how uncomfortable they have felt for the symptom in each item including the day of the application, in the last week. The scale scores between 0-63. The high total score indicates the high level of anxiety experienced by the person. While 13 of the items describe physical symptoms, 3 reveal the cognitive aspects of anxiety. 3 items have a physical quality as well as a cognitive quality. Therefore, the BAI includes physiological, affective and cognitive symptoms of anxiety. The Cronbach Alpha value of the scale was determined as 0.92.
Quality of Life Scale6 weekQuality of Life Scale (SF-12): SF-12; consists of two dimensions measuring physical (6 statements) and mental/psychological (6 statements) functioning. It includes various Likert-type statements (2-point Likert; yes-no or 5-point Likert; always, often, sometimes, very little, never etc.) regarding general health status, activity limits, depression, energy level etc. High scores indicate high quality of life.
Piper Fatigue Scale6 weekPiper Fatigue Scale (PFS): PFS consists of 22 questions and subjectively evaluates fatigue perception. It has four sub-dimensions: the behavior/severity sub-dimension, which evaluates the effect and severity of fatigue on daily life activities; the affective sub-dimension, which covers the emotional meaning attributed to fatigue; the sensory sub-dimension, which reflects the mental, physical and emotional symptoms of fatigue; and the cognitive/spiritual sub-dimension, which reflects the degree to which fatigue affects cognitive functions and mood. The total score of the scale varies between 0 and 10. A score of 0 indicates no fatigue, 1-3 indicates mild fatigue, 4-6 indicates moderate fatigue, and 7-10 indicates severe fatigue.

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026