title: Slow-paced respiration therapy to treat symptoms in pulmonary arterial hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the feasibility of using slow-paced respiration therapy to treat symptoms in women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  People with PAH report increased dyspnea, fatigue and sleep disturbance that can impair health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten women with PAH received 8-weeks of daily, 15 min sessions using slow-paced respiration therapy via the RESPeRATE™ device. Participants had baseline and follow up assessments including plasma norepinephrine and interleukin-6 (IL-6), self-report questionnaires to measure dyspnea, fatigue, depressive symptoms, sleep and HRQOL along with 7-day actigraphy and sleep diaries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 50 years. Adherence to the intervention was 92%. There was decrease in median IL-6 levels [1.3 ± 0.5 to 1.1 ± 0.4, 95% CI (0.03-0.43)] over the study period. Sleep disturbance decreased, depressive symptoms decreased and HRQOL scores decreased (higher scores indicate worse HRQOL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this pilot study, slow-paced respiration therapy is feasible in patients with PAH and may improve symptoms and lower IL-6.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Electronic address: matura@nursing.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Lea Ann
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Matura
authors.affiliation: Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Jamison
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fargo
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Jason S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Fritz
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Kerri A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Anjali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaidya
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pinder
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Archer-Chicko
authors.affiliation: Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Harold I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Palevsky
authors.affiliation: Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Allan I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Pack
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Marilyn S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sommers
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kawut
mesh_terms: D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Actigraphy; Pulmonary arterial hypertension; Respiration therapy; Sleep disturbance; Symptoms