Effect of Breathing Exercises Applied to Hemodialysis Patients on Anxiety, Fatigue and Quality of Life (Exercise)

Breathing exercises are one of the non-pharmacological methods frequently used in health care in recent years. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of breathing exercises on fatigue, anxiety symptoms and quality of life in hemodialysis patients.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hemodialysis; Exercise
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Breathing exercise

Detailed Description

Introduction: Breathing exercises are one of the non-pharmacological methods frequently used in health care in recent years.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of breathing exercises on fatigue, anxiety symptoms and quality of life in hemodialysis patients.

Method: This study will be conducted using a randomized controlled experimental research design at the pre-test-post-test level. The research sample will consist of 58 hemodialysis patients who meet the inclusion criteria of the sample and who apply to the hemodialysis unit of a training and research hospital. The research data will be collected using the personal information form, Beck anxiety inventory, Piper fatigue scale and SF-12 quality of life scales. The pre-test data of the research will be filled in the first interview with the patients and the post-test data will be applied at the end of the 6th week.

Conclusion: Maintaining physical and psychological comfort and improving the quality of life of patients receiving hemodialysis treatment are among the primary responsibilities of the nurse. In this regard, it is predicted that breathing exercises will be beneficial in controlling physical and psychological symptoms.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 52
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Amasya, Turkey, 0500
    • Neşe Uysal

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being over the age of 18
• Being willing to participate in the study
• Speaking and understanding Turkish
• Having started hemodialysis treatment at least 6 months ago

Exclusion Criteria:

• Being on hemodialysis treatment with a diagnosis of stage 4 renal failure
• Being on hemodialysis treatment due to acute renal failure
• Having a malignancy related to the respiratory system (bronchus or lung)

• Having chest pain

  . -Having previously done box breathing and diaphragmatic breathing exercises/receiving training

• Having cognitive dysfunction
• Not giving consent to participate in the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control; The control group will receive standard care. No intervention will be applied to these patients during the follow-up period, only data collection forms will be applied. Data collection forms will be collected in the same time period as the intervention group.
Experimental: Experimental (breathing exercise); The researcher has a certificate in breathing exercises. Those who consent to participate in the study that meets the research criteria will be given training with a prepared training brochure about correct breathing technique, introduction and function of the diaphragm muscle, box breathing technique, diaphragm breathing technique and benefits of correct breathing before the exercise. Box breathing technique will be applied in addition to standard treatment, 3 sets per day (morning, noon and evening) for 6 weeks, 10 repetitions in each set. Diaphragm breathing exercise will be applied in addition to standard treatment, lasting 2 minutes in the first week, then increasing each week and reaching 12 minutes in the 6th week, as 3 sets (morning, noon and evening).	Other: Breathing exercise; The researcher has a certificate in breathing exercises. Those who consent to participate in the study that meets the research criteria will be given training with a prepared training brochure about correct breathing technique, introduction and function of the diaphragm muscle, box breathing technique, diaphragm breathing technique and benefits of correct breathing before the exercise. Box breathing technique will be applied in addition to standard treatment, 3 sets per day (morning, noon and evening) for 6 weeks, 10 repetitions in each set. Diaphragm breathing exercise will be applied in addition to standard treatment, lasting 2 minutes in the first week, then increasing each week and reaching 12 minutes in the 6th week, as 3 sets (morning, noon and evening).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Beck Anxiety Inventory	Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) is designed to measure the frequency of anxiety symptoms experienced by an individual. The scale, consisting of 21 items, is a Likert-type assessment scale scored between 0-3. Individuals rate each item by giving a score between 0-3 to determine how uncomfortable they have felt for the symptom in each item "including the day of the application, in the last week". The scale scores between 0-63. The high total score indicates the high level of anxiety experienced by the person. While 13 of the items describe physical symptoms, 3 reveal the cognitive aspects of anxiety. 3 items have a physical quality as well as a cognitive quality. Therefore, the BAI includes physiological, affective and cognitive symptoms of anxiety. The Cronbach Alpha value of the scale was determined as 0.92.	6 week
Quality of Life Scale	Quality of Life Scale (SF-12): SF-12; consists of two dimensions measuring physical (6 statements) and mental/psychological (6 statements) functioning. It includes various Likert-type statements (2-point Likert; yes-no or 5-point Likert; always, often, sometimes, very little, never etc.) regarding general health status, activity limits, depression, energy level etc. High scores indicate high quality of life.	6 week
Piper Fatigue Scale	Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS): PFS consists of 22 questions and subjectively evaluates fatigue perception. It has four sub-dimensions: the behavior/severity sub-dimension, which evaluates the effect and severity of fatigue on daily life activities; the affective sub-dimension, which covers the emotional meaning attributed to fatigue; the sensory sub-dimension, which reflects the mental, physical and emotional symptoms of fatigue; and the cognitive/spiritual sub-dimension, which reflects the degree to which fatigue affects cognitive functions and mood. The total score of the scale varies between 0 and 10. A score of 0 indicates no fatigue, 1-3 indicates mild fatigue, 4-6 indicates moderate fatigue, and 7-10 indicates severe fatigue.	6 week

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Amasya University
• Investigators: Study Chair: Mahmut Zengin, Amasya University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 17, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 26, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): June 23, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 22, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 23, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): September 25, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 29, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2025
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Anxiety; quality of life; Fatigue
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: AmasyaU-MZ-673

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No