Measuring breathing pattern disorder using a motion capture device
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating the use of structured light plethysmography to diagnose breathing pattern disorder in patients with unexplained breathlessness
IRAS ID
327933
Contact name
Emily Fraser
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Oxford University Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Breathlessness is a common symptom in Long Covid (LC). Standard tests to investigate this in patients who were not admitted to hospital with Covid are typically normal, including detailed lung imaging and breathing tests. We have found that many people with breathlessness after Covid develop changes in the way they normally breathe, and this is referred to as breathing pattern disorder (BPD). Typically, in LC we find that the muscles used to control breathing are used less efficiently, often resulting in breathlessness at rest or out of proportion to the level of activity being undertaken. Physiotherapy-led interventions including education, awareness and breathing retraining can help sufferers regain a healthy breathing pattern and alleviate this symptom.
Identifying BPD isn’t always easy and unfortunately there aren’t standardised ways to assess it. Instead, BPD relies on specialist evaluation which can be subjective and is not always readily available. We are interested in testing the use of a specialised device that can measure chest wall movement and detect changes in breathing pattern. This technology is called structured light plethysmography (SLP). It is non-invasive and measures movement of the chest wall and tummy using a light projector and digital cameras. We wish to see how well this device can identify BPD before and after treatment and determine whether there is a role for its use in the clinical setting. We feel that more standardised ways of measuring BPD can help ensure that patients receive the correct diagnosis and the support they need to manage this distressing symptom.REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EE/0169
Date of REC Opinion
12 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion