Clinical Research Directory

Breathing and Decision-Making (ProlEx-Context)

The ProlEx-Context study aims to investigate how a slow-paced breathing technique with prolonged exhalation affects decision-making in the context of acute social stress.

Feasibility of Breathwork Intervention With Older Adults After Knee Surgery

Postoperative complications after surgical procedures, including following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), have a negative impact on the health and well-being of surgical patients. Older adults (≥65 years) are particularly vulnerable to postoperative complications and their associated morbidities due to the biological aging process. Older adults comprise nearly half of surgical patients worldwide, and this number is expected to increase in the next 10-20 years as the aging population continues to grow. TKA is the most common procedure undergone by older adults, and the rate of TKA procedures is also expected to rise. Despite perioperative guidelines and protocols to prevent postoperative complications, the prevalence of postoperative complications following TKA is approximately 12%. Given these statistics, millions of older adults undergoing TKA may be at risk for postoperative complications and their associated morbidities in the coming decades. Therefore, additional interventions are needed to combat postoperative complications in this population. The body's natural response to surgery, also known as the surgical stress response (SSR), contributes to postoperative complications through complex mechanisms involving the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, or the body's fight-or-flight response, causes dysregulation in feedback systems that regulate the stress response, potentially leading to poorer outcomes. Interventions, such as breathwork, that induce the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), or the body's rest-and-digest response, have been shown to balance the ANS, regulate stress biology, and improve outcomes. This study will examine the feasibility of adding a breathwork intervention (Box Breathing), compared to an attention control, to standard perioperative care for older adults undergoing TKA. This study will also examine the proof of concept that Box Breathing, compared to an attention control, may help regulate the SSR by assessing an objective measure of stress-related biology, diurnal cortisol rhythm, and gathering self-report information on pain, anxiety, depression, and quality of recovery following TKA.

Early Intervention for Postpartum PTSD: Comparing Written Exposure and Capnometry-Guided Breathing Therapy

The purpose of this study is to examine two early interventions, Written Exposure Therapy and Capnometry Guided Breathing, to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in women after childbirth as compared to usual care.

Effects of Controlled Breathing on Cardiorespiratory Variables in Multiple Myeloma

A randomized, parallel, double-blind, controlled, clinical trial. Two groups of participants will be included, both receiving a therapeutic exercise intervention and an educational session on the importance of proper breathing over a 6-week period. One of the groups will additionally perform a home-based controlled breathing exercise protocol. Pre- and post-intervention assessments (6 weeks) will be conducted, along with a follow-up evaluation 4 weeks after completion of the intervention. The goal is to determine the effectiveness of adding a controlled breathing exercise program to a therapeutic exercise intervention on cardiorespiratory variables in individuals with multiple myeloma.

Evaluating the Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Individuals With Opioid Use Disorder.

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) intervention among adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) receiving residential treatment. The study aims to learn whether HRVB can be implemented successfully in this setting and whether it may help participants manage stress, emotional regulation, and cravings. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Is HRVB feasible and acceptable for adults with OUD in a residential treatment program, as indicated by recruitment, retention, adherence, and participant satisfaction? Do participants show preliminary improvements in stress, affect, emotional regulation, self-efficacy, and cravings following participation in the HRVB intervention? Participants will be adults with OUD enrolled in a residential treatment program. Participants will: 1. Complete baseline and post-intervention questionnaires assessing stress, affect, emotional regulation, social support, self-efficacy, and cravings 2. Participate in daily HRVB practice using a portable biofeedback device for approximately 3 weeks 3. Complete brief daily diary assessments related to mood, stress, and cravings This is a single-arm pilot study designed to inform the feasibility and future refinement of HRVB as an adjunct intervention for individuals with OUD in residential treatment settings.

Effects of Controlled Breathing Added to Therapeutic Exercise in Multiple Myeloma

A randomized, parallel, double-blind, controlled, multicenter clinical trial with two intervention arms. Two groups of participants will be included, both receiving a therapeutic exercise intervention and an educational session on the importance of proper breathing over a 6-week period. One of the groups will additionally perform a home-based controlled breathing exercise protocol. Pre- and post-intervention assessments (6 weeks) will be conducted, along with a follow-up evaluation 4 weeks after completion of the intervention. The goal is to determine the effectiveness of adding a controlled breathing exercise program to a therapeutic exercise intervention on somatic symptoms in individuals with multiple myeloma

Effects of Buteyko Breathing Exercise in Children With Uncontrolled Asthma

This randomized controlled trial study aimed to measure the effectiveness of the combination of 4-weeks Buteyko breathing exercises and pharmacological therapy compared with pharmacological therapy alone in children with uncontrolled asthma.