BACKGROUND: Dyspnea is prevalent in chronic respiratory diseases and arises from mismatch between respiratory demand and ventilation response. Cooling sensations on the face have been shown to help alleviate dyspnea. AIM: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of fan therapy during exercise in reducing dyspnea and enhancing physical capacity in patients with chronic respiratory conditions. METHOD: This study is a crossover randomized controlled trial comparing the level of dyspnea in patients with chronic breathlessness during a 6-min walking test (6MWT) with and without a portable fan worn around the neck. Patients were randomized to perform two 6MWT, beginning either with or without the fan. RESULTS: 25 patients with chronic respiratory disease were recruited and separated into two groups of 12 and 13 participants, homogeneous in sex distribution. Results showed a significant lower breathlessness at the end of the 6MWT as well as a lower change of dyspnea during the test with the fan therapy compared to the 6MWT without (p < 0.001 for both measures). There was a significant increase of the distance traveled every 2 min in absolute (p = 0.014, p = 0.003, p < 0.001 at 2, 4 and 6 min respectively) and relative value (p = 0.003) during the test with fan. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a clinical and significant improvement in dyspnea relief and functional capacity when using a fan across the face in individuals performing physical activity.

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