Breathlessness Perceptions Within Respiratory Diseases

Breathlessness is a complex symptom that results in poor quality of life, increased hospitalisations and increased mortality. Breathlessness is influenced by physiological, psychological and functional factors but these are poorly explored. There are also unexplored phenomenon's such as breathing pattern. Therefore, this study aims to understand the influences of physiology, psychology, function and breathing pattern on health related quality of life in those with a respiratory disease compared to healthy controls. This project is a cross-sectional cohort study including those with a known respiratory disease and experiencing breathlessness, compared to non-breathless healthy controls. The investigators will measure your physiology through spirometry (a breathing test that tells us about their lung function), psychology through questionnaires, function through an exercise test and breathing pattern using opto-electrictronic plethysmography (markers are placed on your chest to see how participants breathe while exercising). This will be conducted over two visits. The investigators will recruit participants from clinics at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. The investigators are aiming to recruit 50 participants with a respiratory disease and 25 healthy controls. The results of this study will help us understand breathlessness in more detail in order to be able to develop better treatments.

Inclusion Criteria: * • Aged 18 or over up to 100 * Known respiratory diagnosis\* OR Healthy control\*\* * Ongoing symptoms of breathlessness defined as ≥2 MRC dyspnoea scale * Able to communicate in English * Able to attend two study visits * Able to provide written informed consent * Known respiratory diagnosis could include, but is not limited to, COPD, Asthma, Bronchiectasis or ILD. * Healthy controls are required to have an absence of a functionally limiting condition such as respiratory, cardiovascular, or musculoskeletal. Exclusion Criteria: * • Unstable disease or undergoing investigations for unexplained symptoms * Undergone a surgery within past six weeks * Contraindications for exercise outlined by ACSM guidelines (Unstable CVD, hypertension etc) * BMI ≥ 35kg/m2 * Unable to communicate in English * Unable to provide written informed consent * Unable to abstain from smoking for 8 hours prior to testing