NCT07319039Recruiting
Breathlessness Patterns in Patients With Cancer, COPD and Heart Failure: an fMRI Feasibility Study
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 8 Jan 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Dyspnea that persists despite optimal pathophysiological treatment is defined as persistent dyspnea. Currently all brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies conducted to evaluate breathlessness have done so using healthy volunteers or have concentrated on acute breathlessness. Little is known about chronic breathlessness patterns and their modulation by different triggers. Furthermore, it is currently assumed in the palliative care literature that patients suffering from different advanced and progressive diseases such as cancer, heart failure (HF) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have the same triggers, perceptions and neurological pathways and thus require the same treatments/interventions (i.e. opioids as first line symptomatic pharmacologic treatment). However, it is now known that patients belonging to different disease groups do not necessarily benefit from opioids. Aim of the study To assess the feasibility of identifying dyspnea patterns in different life-limiting conditions and to evaluate the effect of immersive virtual reality (IVR) on dyspnea using patient-reported-outcomes (PROMs). Study procedure: Patients with advanced chronic diseases such as cancer, COPD or HF suffering from dyspnea will undergo a brain fMRI in combination with an IVR intervention. The fMRI data will be reviewed to identify different patterns of dyspnea and the effect of IVR on dyspnea will be assessed through PROMs. Patients will be asked about the perceived burden of the study.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Observational
- Enrollment
- 16 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 26 May 2025
- Start date
- 26 Aug 2025
- Primary completion date
- 1 Mar 2027
- Lead sponsor
- University Hospital, Geneva
- Diseases
- Heart failure, COPD
- NCT number
- NCT07319039
What you commit to
- Study type: Observational
- Planned participants: 16
- From 26 Aug 2025 to the primary completion date, 1 Mar 2027
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Other illness
- Diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, severe anxiety, psychosis, other) or antipsychotic treatment deemed a contraindication for fMRI based on physician judgement
- Neurological disorders according to neurological assessment, including diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.), or epilepsy
- Contraindication to IVR (migraines, photosensitive epilepsy, vertigo)
Other
- Breathlessness at rest ≥ 8 on the NRS (numeric rating scale 0 to 10)
- Contraindication to fMRI
- Inability to lie flat (supine position)
- Presence of claustrophobia, acrophobia, photophobia, severe hearing loss, and/or severe visual deficit
Who the study is looking for
- Age ≥ 18 years and
- Followed by the outpatient palliative care clinic of the Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland (HUG) and
- Breathlessness at rest \> 2 and \< 8 on the NRS (numeric rating scale 0 to 10) and
- Persistent breathlessness (persistent dyspnea for \> 3 weeks despite adequate and maximal medication according to the pathology) and
- In a stable clinical condition, i.e., without an episode of acute cardiac, respiratory, and/or neurological failure leading to hospitalization in the previous 4 weeks and
- Diagnosis of either HF stage NYHA III-IV, or COPD with dyspnea on the modified MRC scale grade 3-4, or oncological disease with primary or secondary pulmonary involvement
- Age ≥ 18 years and
- No respiratory symptoms: dyspnea, cough, wheezing and
- No known pulmonary, cardiac, or oncological disease and
- Smoking status \< 10 pack-years and
- No contraindication to fMRI (Appendix 3) and
- Ability to lie flat (supine position) and
- No diagnosed psychiatric illness (severe depression, severe anxiety, psychosis, other) or antipsychotic treatment deemed a contraindication for fMRI based on physician judgement and
- No neurological disorders according to neurological assessment, including diagnosed dementia (frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, etc.), brain pathology (tumor, stroke, Parkinson's disease, etc.), or epilepsy and
- No claustrophobia, acrophobia, photophobia, severe hearing loss, and/or severe visual deficit and
- No contraindication to IVR (migraines, photosensitive epilepsy, vertigo)
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geneva University Hospitals Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Geneva | Switzerland | Recruiting |
Related publications
- Dyspnoea patterns in patients with advanced diseases: a functional MRI feasibility study protocol.BMJ Open · 2026 · PMID 41692519
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.