Authors (including presenting author) :
Chow YT(1),Cheung HL(1), Chiang KH(1)
Affiliation :
(1) Physiotherapy department, Shatin Hospital
Introduction :
Dyspnea is a prevalent and distressing symptom experienced in patients in palliative care, significantly impacts their quality of life and overall well-being. Conventional video education of breathing control in “Physiotherapy Dyspnea Management Program” often demonstrate less adequate engagement and relief. Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) training as a novel non-pharmacological intervention to manage dyspnea by offering unique interaction and personalization, providing immersive experience that is a potentially engaging therapeutic option for patients.
Objectives :
Primary: To evaluate the effectiveness of Immersive VR training in managing dyspnea among hospitalized palliative care patients
Secondary: To assess the impact of using Immersive VR training on well-being
Methodology :
A repeated measures design was employed. Subjects were hospitalized with Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT) > 6/10; or increased RR >18/minutes; or dyspnea score > 1/10 NRS at rest. Exclusion were medically unstable patients; those with acute medical conditions, head and neck discomfort with VR headset; or motion sickness during VR training. One session of 5-minute Immerse VR breathing training was prescribed. Outcome measures includes Oxygen Saturation (SpO2), RR, heart rate (HR), self-reported dyspnea score and confident score in dyspnea management were assessed at different time points. Exploratory questions were conducted to explore subjective feasibility of VR training in managing dyspnea and improving overall well-being.
Result & Outcome :
In January 2025, a cohort of 14 patients, comprising 12 Males and 2 Females, with a mean age 77 years, participated in this study. Diagnoses includes lung cancer (35.7%), head and neck cancer (14.3%) and other cancers (35.7%). There are 5 participants require oxygen support (1-3Litre/min). There was a statically significant in improvement in RR from pre- and post-intervention (p=0.0008); and at 1-minute post-training (p=0.0416). The self-rated of dyspnea score and anxiety score were showed improved from pre- to post-intervention; However, the observed differences were not statistically significant. The subjective perception of VR training's effectiveness in managing dyspnea was positive, with 57% rating effective and 43% neutral. For patient well-being, self reported 28% agreed VR training in anxiety reduction was effective, while 64% were neutral. HR remained similar over timeline.
Immerse VR training shows promise in managing dyspnea and improving RR. The subjective perception of the VR intervention was generally positive that implies there is a potential of VR training to provide therapeutic relief and enhancing patient well-being. Continued studies with larger sample size will be necessary to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of this novel intervention.
