Facial airflow for people with chronic breathlessness

What is it about?

We pulled together published literature presenting information about whether facial or nasal airflow (either as a hand held fan, or as medical air) improves patients' subjective sensation of breathlessness. We found that: • airflow from the fan at rest improves breathlessness in people with breathlessness due to a variety of causes • airflow delivered as cylinder medical air at rest improves breathlessness in advanced cancer • airflow delivered as cylinder medical air during a constant load exercise test in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and who have completed pulmonary rehabilitation

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Why is it important?

This is important. • Clinicians should consider the fan in addition to treatment for breathlessness at rest in patients who do not require oxygen-enriched air. • Airflow may benefit exertion-induced breathlessness, but further work is required to investigate the role of the fan with everyday general activity and in relation to exercise. • Recovery time from exertion-induced breathlessness, self-efficacy and daily activity are key outcomes to explore in future studies of airflow.