Prevalence and Association of Dysfunctional Breathing With Nicotine Dependence and Physical Activity Among Young Smokers

September 21, 2026 updated by: Yunus Emre Tutuneken, Istinye University

Prevalence of Dysfunctional Breathing and Its Association With Nicotine Dependence and Physical Activity Level Among Young Smokers: A Cross-Sectional Study

We will structure the study's summary to provide a clear and accessible overview for patients, families, and healthcare providers. The research will examine young adult cigarette smokers aged 18 to 24 to estimate the prevalence of a dysfunctional breathing-compatible symptom pattern using the Nijmegen Questionnaire. Furthermore, the study will assess how nicotine dependence severity-measured via the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence-and physical activity levels-assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-relate to this symptom burden. We will recruit participants through social media announcements and conduct face-to-face evaluations at Istinye University. The project will employ hierarchical linear and binary logistic regression models, adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index, to determine independent predictors of dysfunctional breathing. Ultimately, the findings will provide valuable insights into the combined impacts of smoking severity and physical activity on respiratory health in young adults.

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.

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.
Observational

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.
420

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

18 years to 24 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population will consist of young adult cigarette smokers aged 18 to 24 recruited through social media announcements, who will undergo face-to-face evaluation and eligibility assessments at a single center.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Being between 18 and 24 years of age.
  • Reporting current cigarette smoking (daily or occasionally) at the time of assessment

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having a diagnosed personality disorder.
  • Having a substance use disorder.
  • Engaging in regular meditation or breathing exercises.
  • Having a chronic cardiovascular or pulmonary disease.

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

  • Observational Models: OTHER
  • Time Perspectives: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
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.
Young adult cigarette smokers.
Other: Observational evaluation.

This study will not involve any experimental medical treatment or intervention. It will be an observational evaluation where participants will complete self-report instruments, including the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Nijmegen Questionnaire, along with a sociodemographic form during a single face-to-face session.

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
Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence
Time Frame: Measured once during the single face-to-face evaluation session

his instrument will assess the severity of nicotine dependence through six items evaluating daily cigarette consumption and smoking patterns.
Measured once during the single face-to-face evaluation session
Nijmegen Questionnaire
Time Frame: Measured once during the single face-to-face evaluation session.

This questionnaire will assess the symptom burden of respiratory, neurovegetative, and neuromuscular features to identify a dysfunctional breathing-compatible symptom pattern.
Measured once during the single face-to-face evaluation session.
International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form
Time Frame: Measured once during the single face-to-face evaluation session.

This tool will evaluate the participant's physical activity levels over the previous week by recording the duration and frequency of walking and physical activities.
Measured once during the single face-to-face evaluation session.

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.
Istinye University

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.
September 30, 2026

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.
November 15, 2026

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.
November 15, 2026

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).
September 21, 2026

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.
September 21, 2026

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.
September 28, 2026

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.
September 28, 2026

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.
September 21, 2026

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.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • 125

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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