Breathing better: A tech-monitored study of positive expiratory pressure and reading aloud for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BackgroundBreathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing and positive expiratory pressure (PEP), relieve breathlessness in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).AimThis study aimed to investigate the effects of breathing exercises with PEP and reading aloud on vital signs, fatigue level, severity of dyspnoea and respiratory function parameters in patients with COPD.DesignThe study followed a randomized controlled trial of COPD patients from a single hospital in eastern Turkey.MethodsThe study included 103 patients who were randomly assigned to receive pre-reading exercises, breathing exercises with a PEP device or no intervention for 8 weeks.ResultsThe use of a PEP device improved oxygen saturation, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) values and reduced fatigue and dyspnoea severity. Reading aloud lowered the mean arterial pressure and reduced fatigue and dyspnoea severity.ConclusionThe study concludes that PEP devices and reading aloud can improve respiratory function in patients with COPD. Additionally, reading aloud is an accessible, easy-to-implement and economically feasible method for treating COPD symptoms. What is already known about this topic?Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes cough, shortness of breath, fatigue and impaired exercise capacity. The most common symptoms are dyspnoea and fatigue.The treatment and prognosis of COPD require skilled nursing care. Breathing exercises guided by nurses relieved the symptoms.Information technologies are increasingly used for COPD monitoring and therapy. Remote patient monitoring, especially the use of wearables, can improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare expenditures.What this paper adds?Reading aloud and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) breathing exercises can improve vital signs and lung function in patients with COPD, with the latter being more effective.Wearable technologies for remote patient monitoring can help manage COPD and improve patient outcomes.The implications of this paper:Wearable technologies for remote patient monitoring can support COPD management and improve patient outcomes.Pulmonary exercise devices improve oxygen saturation, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) in COPD patients while reducing fatigue and dyspnoea. These devices help patients with COPD breathe easily.Reading aloud reduces fatigue, dyspnoea and mean arterial pressure. COPD patients can benefit from reading newspapers, magazines and novels aloud.