Breathing Exercises on Depression in Postmenopausal Women

December 18, 2024 updated by: Saher Lotfy El Gayar, Middle East University

Effect of Breathing Exercises on Depression and Sexual Function in Postmenopausal Women

Evaluate the effect of breathing exercises on depression and sexual function in postmenopausal women

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Sixty postmenopausal women will be sourced from the Obstetrics & Gynecology outpatient clinic at El Mahalla El Kobra general hospital in Egypt, with referrals from gynecologists. Patients will be randomly assigned into two groups.

Study group: It will include 30 women participating in diaphragmatic breathing plus aerobic training.

Control group: It will include 30 women participating in aerobic training.

At baseline and poststudy, the following outcomes will be assessed:

  1. Depression (Beck Depression Inventory II scale).
  2. Sexual function (female sexual function index questionnaire).

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Mohammed Elhamrawy, Ph.D

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Minimum of 3 years after menopause.
  • Mild to moderate depression.
  • Mild to moderate sexual dysfunction.
  • Their ages will be ranged from 45 to 60 years old.
  • Their BMI will be less than 30 kg/m2.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prolapse of the pelvic organs.
  • Pelvic tumors.
  • Vaginal infections.
  • Musculoskeletal/ neurological limitations to exercise.
  • Psychiatric disorders.
  • Unstable cardiovascular conditions.
  • Diabetes.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Diaphragmatic breathing exercises group
30 women participating in diaphragmatic breathing plus aerobic training.
Other: Diaphragmatic breathing exercises
Participants will be directed to position their hands on the rectus abdominis muscle located under the anterior chest wall while resting in a hook position. They will be instructed to inhale slowly and deeply via the nostrils, expanding their abdomen without raising their upper chest, and resting their shoulders. Following the cessation of respiration, the woman will slowly exhale by pursing her lips. A respiratory cycle will consist of a three-second inhalation, a three-second pause, and a six-second exhalation. The diaphragmatic training regimen will consist of doing 3-5 sets of 5-10 deep breaths, with 2-minute intervals of rest in between sets.
Other: Aerobic training
The women will participate in aerobic training on cycle ergometer. Each session will consist of 30-45 minutes of cycling at a moderate intensity, accompanied by a workout heart rate ranging from 65% to 75% of the maximal heart rate and ranging between 12 and 14 on the Borg rating of perceived exertion 20-point scale. After ten minutes of warm-up, every session will end with a brief 3-minute period of cool-down.
Active Comparator: Control group
30 women participating in aerobic training only.
Other: Aerobic training
The women will participate in aerobic training on cycle ergometer. Each session will consist of 30-45 minutes of cycling at a moderate intensity, accompanied by a workout heart rate ranging from 65% to 75% of the maximal heart rate and ranging between 12 and 14 on the Borg rating of perceived exertion 20-point scale. After ten minutes of warm-up, every session will end with a brief 3-minute period of cool-down.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Depression
Time Frame: At baseline and after 8 weeks
The second edition of Beck depression inventory scale will be scored. The second edition of Beck depression inventory scale consists of 21- items. Item scores ranging from 0 to 3 are combined to produce a total score that ranges from 0 to 63 using the cumulative scoring technique. Elevated scores suggest a more severe level of depression.
At baseline and after 8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sexual function
Time Frame: At baseline and after 8 weeks
Female sexual function index questionnaire will be scored. The female sexual function index questionnaire is a 19-item, self-report measure of female sexual function that provides scores on overall levels of sexual function. The 19 items of the female sexual function index questionnaire use a 5-point scale ranging from 1 to 5 with higher scores indicating greater levels of sexual functioning on the respective item. Total scores of 26.5 or lower characterize sexual dysfunction.
At baseline and after 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Middle East University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Mohammed Sayed Saif, Ph.D, National institute for Gerontology

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 26, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 20, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 25, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 17, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 17, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 18, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Breathing Exercises

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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