Optimal Treatment for Dysfunctional Breathing in Adults: An International Delphi Study

Area of Science:

• Respiratory medicine
• Rehabilitation therapies
• Patient-centered care

Background:

• Dysfunctional breathing (DB) is prevalent and significantly impacts quality of life.
• Existing non-pharmacological interventions lack consensus on essential components and delivery.
• There is a need to define core elements for effective DB treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To achieve expert and patient consensus on critical components of non-pharmacological interventions for DB.
• To determine optimal formats and delivery methods for these interventions.
• To inform the development of standardized DB treatment protocols.

Main Methods:

• A two-round Delphi process involving international experts and consumer focus groups.
• Online surveys administered via Qualtrics to gather component ratings.
• Consensus defined by specific median scores and interquartile ranges on a Likert scale.

Main Results:

• Essential components identified: comprehensive assessment, breathing retraining (with/without biofeedback), education, manual therapy, psychological therapy, and home practice.
• Desirable components included individualized home programs, information materials, and reassessment.
• Optional components comprised individualized treatment delivery modes and exercise therapy.

Conclusions:

• Five essential interventions for treating DB were established, emphasizing assessment and home practice.
• Individualization of interventions and treatment format is recommended.
• Findings provide a foundation for developing evidence-based non-pharmacological DB treatments.