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Handheld Fan Direction for Breathlessness in Chronic Heart and Lung Disease

Key facts

Who runs it
Alexandria University
Where
Egypt1 site in 1 countryChoose a country to see its sites
Trial code
Status
Not yet recruiting
People taking part
129 people, planned
Started
11 Nov 2026
Expected to end
10 Feb 2027
Type of study
Interventional, 3 groupsOne group gets no study treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • Handheld Fan Directed at the Face
  • Handheld Fan Directed at the Leg
Record updated
12 November 2026

Who can take part

Age
18 years and older
Sex
Women and men
Healthy volunteers
Cannot take part

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 11 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Adults with chronic heart failure and/or chronic lung disease (for example chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or interstitial lung disease) confirmed by a cardiologist or chest physician
  • Stable condition: heart failure NYHA class II to III, and no exacerbation of lung disease in recent weeks, confirmed with the treating specialist
  • Breathlessness on exertion, with an MRC dyspnoea grade and a Borg score after the 6-minute walk test at or above a minimum set in advance [FILL: e.g. Borg >= 3]
  • Stable medication, with no marked change in recent weeks [FILL: period set by the treating specialist]
  • Able to walk, answer the questionnaires and give written informed consent

Who cannot take part

  • Acute heart failure, an acute exacerbation of lung disease, or a recent hospital admission
  • Another dominant cause of breathlessness (for example severe anemia, pulmonary embolism or neuromuscular disease)
  • Severe lung disease needing oxygen at rest
  • Unstable angina, recent myocardial infarction, or any condition that prevents walking or raises risk
  • Cognitive impairment that prevents responding, or inability to use the fan
  • Participation in another trial

This trial has no sites in United States.

It has sites in one country. Choose a country to see its sites.

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

People with chronic heart failure or chronic lung disease (such as COPD or interstitial lung disease) often feel short of breath when they exert themselves. A handheld fan blowing air on the face may ease this feeling, but it is not clear whether the benefit lasts with longer home use, whether it depends on the direction of the airflow, or whether it works in patients with heart disease and in hot climates.

Read full original descriptionShow less

This study will compare three conditions in adults with stable chronic heart and/or lung disease who become breathless on exertion: (1) a handheld fan directed at the face, (2) a handheld fan directed at the leg, and (3) no fan (usual care). Participants will be randomly assigned (1:1:1) to one of the three groups. The two fan groups will use the fan at home for 12 weeks. The no-fan group will receive a fan after the final assessment. The person measuring outcomes will not know which group each participant is in.

The main outcome is breathlessness (Borg 0-10 scale) in the 5 minutes after a 6-minute walk test at week 12. Other outcomes include walking distance, recovery time, breathlessness severity and impact (Dyspnoea-12), functional class, global change in breathlessness, fan use and acceptability, and emergency visits or hospital admissions.

The study also includes interviews with about 24 to 30 participants from the three groups after week 12, to understand how the fan was used, how acceptable it was, and how heat and humidity affected it. Trial and interview findings will be analysed separately and then combined.

The 3 groups in the trial

  • Fan-to-FaceTreatment being tested

    Handheld battery-operated fan directed at the face whenever the participant feels breathless, for 12 weeks at home. Participants receive training and a teach-back check at week 0 and keep a daily diary. Usual care continues unchanged.

    Treatment: Handheld Fan Directed at the Face

  • Fan-to-LegTreatment being tested

    Same handheld fan (same model and speed) directed at the leg at the same distance and for the same duration whenever the participant feels breathless, for 12 weeks at home. Training, teach-back, diary and usual care are the same as in the fan-to-face arm.

    Treatment: Handheld Fan Directed at the Leg

  • No FanNo study treatment, for comparison

    Usual care for the heart or lung disease for 12 weeks, with a daily diary of breathless episodes and the same visit and phone-call schedule. After the 6-minute walk test, participants rest seated for 5 minutes without a fan. A fan is offered after the week 12 assessment.

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

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Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
Fan-to-Face Versus Fan-to-Leg Versus No Fan on Exertional Breathlessness and Exercise Capacity With Stable Chronic Cardiopulmonary Disease: A Mixed Method Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial
Record updated
12 November 2026