Online self-guided support program tested for chronic breathlessness in adults
Tests an online self-help program with breathing exercises for adults with long-term breathlessness.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- King's College Hospital NHS Trust
- Where
- London, United KingdomSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Reducing Chronic Breathlessness in Adults by Following a Self-guided, Internet Based Supportive Intervention (SELF-BREATHE)
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 246 people, planned
- Started
- 4 Jul 2024
- Expected to end
- Jul 2028
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- SELF-BREATHE
- Record updated
- 13 June 2025
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults whose breathlessness has lasted more than 3 months despite treatment of the underlying disease. It tests a self-guided website, SELF-BREATHE, used alongside usual care.
- Age
- 18 to 110 years
- Sex
- Men and women can both join.
- Disease stage
- Breathlessness at rest and/or when active that lasts more than 3 months despite treatment of the underlying disease, such as cancer, COPD, interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis or fibrotic lung disease after SARS-CoV2 infection. MRC dyspnea score of 2 or more.
- Earlier treatment
- Breathlessness must persist despite medicines for the underlying disease. People who finished pulmonary rehabilitation more than 4 weeks ago can join.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Breathlessness of unknown cause
- Main diagnosis of chronic hyperventilation syndrome
- Currently taking part in a rehabilitation programme such as pulmonary or cardiac rehabilitation
- No access to a computer, tablet or smartphone with internet
- Cannot give informed consent
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 9 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Adults ≥ 18 years of age
- Chronic Breathlessness at rest and / or exertion
- Chronic Breathlessness (CB) defined as breathlessness that persists (>3months) despite pharmacological treatment of the underlying disease including, but not limited to; cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease (ILD), bronchiectasis, chronic fibrotic lung disease following SARS-CoV2 infection
- Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea score ≥ 2 (MRC 2= short of breath when hurrying on the level or walking up a slight hill
- Availability to a computer, tablet, or smart phone with internet access
- Able to provide informed consent
Who cannot take part
- Primary diagnosis of chronic hyperventilation syndrome
- Currently participating in a rehabilitation programme e.g.,pulmonary/cardiac rehabilitation (patients that have completed PR >4-weeks will be eligible)
- Breathlessness of unknown cause
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 110 years old?
Where in United Kingdom
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation TrustLondon, United KingdomContact: Charles C ReillyTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Background:
Read full original descriptionShow less
Some health conditions make breathing difficult and uncomfortable. When this happens every day, it is called chronic breathlessness. Over 3 million people living with heart and lung disease have chronic breathlessness in the UK.
Breathlessness is very difficult for patients themselves and their families, resulting in disability and feelings of fear, distress, and isolation. Due a to lack of supportive breathlessness services many patients frequently attend hospital Accident and Emergency (A\&E) departments seeking help.
Given the on-going challenges faced by the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom, such as long waiting times, staff shortages, increased demand for services because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to develop new ways to support those living with chronic breathlessness. One potential solution is to offer support online, as it is estimated that in the UK, 7 out of every 10 people with chronic breathlessness are internet users.
With the help of patients and NIHR funding the research team lead by Dr Charles Reilly, developed an online breathlessness supportive website called SELF-BREATHE. SELF-BREATHE provides information and self-management tools such as breathing exercises, that patients can do at home themselves.
SELF-BREATHE has been tested as part of its development. SELF-BREATHE is acceptable and valued by patients. But what is unknown is whether SELF-BREATHE improves patients' breathlessness and their life? This is the question this research seeks to answer.
Aims
1. To test if using SELF-BREATHE for six-weeks improves patients' breathlessness, their quality of life and whether SELF-BREATHE should be offered within the NHS 2. To see if patients opt to continue to use SELF-BREATHE after six-weeks and what benefits this may have for patients.
Methods
The research team are undertaking a randomised controlled trial. For this, 246 people living with chronic breathlessness will be recruited in to this study. Each person will be randomly chosen by a computer to continue with their usual care or their usual care plus access to SELF-BREATHE. All study participants will complete questionnaires at the start of the study, thereafter at seven and twelve weeks after randomisation.
These questionnaires will ask patients about 1) their breathlessness and its effect on their life and 2) planned and unplanned hospital visits. At the end of the study, we will compare answers to these questionnaires between the two groups at seven and 12 weeks.
This will tell if SELF-BREATHE improved patients' breathlessness and reduced their need for unplanned hospital visits e.g., A\&E attendances due to breathlessness.
The 2 groups in the trial
- SELF-BREATHE (Intervention)Treatment being tested
SELF-BREATHE + usual NHS care (Intervention)
Treatment: SELF-BREATHE
- Usual NHS care (Control)No study treatment, for comparison
Participants randomised to the control group continue with usual NHS care, as was available to them prior to entry into the trial
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- A Multicentre, Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing Usual NHS Care to a Self-guided Internet-based Intervention (SELF-BREATHE) Plus Usual NHS Care to Reduce Breathlessness in Adults Living With Chronic Breathlessness
- Plain-language title
- Online self-guided support program tested for chronic breathlessness in adultsGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT06326957, who can take part
- Record updated
- 13 June 2025