How is dysfunctional breathing characterised in the clinical literature? A scoping review

Dysfunctional breathing (DB) is a complex condition that affects health and quality of life. It can occur alone or with other conditions and presents with various symptoms. Despite its prevalence, there is no consensus among healthcare professionals on its definition, diagnosis, or classification.

This scoping review aimed to explore how dysfunctional breathing is characterised across the literature. To achieve this, a comprehensive search strategy was employed, covering both peer-reviewed and grey literature from relevant academic databases and websites.

Seventy one relevant sources published between 2001 and 2024 were identified resulting in 6 key themes. These consisted of 'Defining DB' (69 % of studies), 'Diagnosing and Assessing DB' (86 %), 'Symptoms and Dimensions' (87 %), 'Comorbidities' (64 %),' Psychophysiological Links' (43 %), and 'Classification' (50 %).

There are inconsistencies in the terminology, assessment methods, and classification systems used to describe (DB). This highlights a lack of standardisation across the literature. The use of multiple, and at times overlapping definitions for the same condition poses a significant challenge for clinical decision-making and treatment planning. To address these issues, future research should prioritise achieving consensus across these domains acknowledging the multidimensional nature of the condition.