BREATHE

Study Design: Feasibility RCT
Disease Area: Respiratory
Funder: NIHR RfPB
Sponsor: University of Hull
Chief Investigator: Dr Ann Hutchinson
Trial registration: ISRCTN80330546

Breathlessness Relief at Home (BREATHE)

Summary

Breathlessness is common in people with heart and lung conditions and can get very severe and frightening. When this happens patients or family members often call an ambulance, especially when their own doctor’s surgery is closed. In a recent study, we found that 1 in 5 of all people taken by ambulance to Accident and Emergency (A&E) called for help because of breathlessness. A third of these did not need to stay in hospital and went home. There are treatments to calm severe breathlessness that could be used in the patient’s home. If paramedics can use this approach, breathlessness may be calmed more quickly and some people may not need to go to A&E.

We want to see if it is possible to run a research study with people calling ambulances because of breathlessness. We will test if paramedics trained in breathlessness techniques can ease breathlessness more quickly than usual care, and help more people stay at home. People with severe breathlessness have worked with us, said this is important and have agreed to help us run the study.

Eight paramedics in the Yorkshire area will be chosen at random to use the breathing calming techniques in breathless patients or to give usual care. We will note if patients’ breathing settles better compared to usual care, and whether the patient still needs to go to A&E.

At the end of this “test” study, we will know if, i) such care can be used by paramedics, ii) a larger trial can be done and iii) the best way to run it. We will let the participants, local support groups, charities, local clinicians and the funder know our findings and also publish them in a scientific journal.

This study is a key first step to help people with severe breathlessness needing emergency help.

Chief Investigator

Dr Ann Hutchinson Research Fellow - Hull York Medical School

HHTU Study team

Matthew Northgraves - Trial Manager
Amy Porter - Trial Administrator
Sarah Sumpter - Data Manager
Chao Huang - Statistician
Judith Cohen - Co-applicant
John Turgoose - Information Systems Manager

Collaborators

Miriam Johnson Professor of Palliative Medicine - Hull York Medical School
Flavia Swann Research Fellow - Hull York Medical School
Joanne Reeve Professor of Primary Care - Academy of Primary Care, Hull York Medical School
Sue Mason Professor of Emergency Medicine - University of Sheffield
Andrew Hodge Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Jane Shewan Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Simon Hart Respiratory Consultant - Hull University Teaching Foundation Trust
David C Currow Honorary Professor of Palliative Care Research - Hull York Medical School
Victoria Allgar Statistician - University of York
Susan Griffin Health Economist - University of York

Email Address

breathrct@hyms.ac.uk

Participating site

  • Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

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Publications

Northgraves M, Cohen J, Allgar V, et al. A feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of a paramedic-administered breathlessness management intervention for acute-on-chronic breathlessness (BREATHE): Study protocol. ERJ Open Res 2021; in press.

Mixed-methods feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of a paramedic-administered breathlessness management intervention for acute-on-chronic breathlessness (BREATHE): Study findings. Ann Hutchinson, Victoria Allgar, Judith Cohen, David C. Currow, Susan Griffin, Simon Hart, Kelly Hird, Andrew Hodge, Suzanne Mason, Matthew Northgraves, Joanne Reeve, Flavia Swan, Miriam J. Johnson. ERJ Open Research Jan 2022, 00257-2022; DOI: 10.1183/23120541.00257-2022