ENO BREATHE improved health related quality of life, breathlessness, anxiety, and respiratory symptoms in people with long COVID, according to findings from a large UK cohort study evaluating the online breathing and wellbeing programme in routine clinical practice.
ENO Breathe Improves Long COVID Outcomes
Post COVID 19 condition, also known as long COVID, is frequently associated with persistent breathlessness that can substantially impair daily functioning and quality of life. Researchers assessed the impact of the ENO Breathe programme, a 6-week online breathing and wellbeing intervention using singing techniques, among patients referred from 51 National Health Service long COVID clinics across the UK.
The study included 1,413 participants with long COVID related breathlessness. Mean age was 49 years and 80% of participants were female. Participants had experienced long COVID symptoms for a median of 415 days: interquartile range, 246–601 days. Follow up data were available for 1,188 participants following programme completion.
Researchers compared baseline and post intervention measures to evaluate changes in health-related quality of life, breathlessness, anxiety, and respiratory symptoms. Improvements were observed in both mental and physical health related quality of life scores measured using RAND 36 assessments. Median differences were 2.98 for mental health: interquartile range, −1.53–8.42; and 1.69 for physical health: −1.32–5.01.
Breathlessness and Anxiety Scores Declined
ENO Breathe was also associated with significant reductions in breathlessness severity. Mean Dyspnoea 12 scores improved by −4.29: 95% CI, −4.64 to −3.94. Visual analogue scale breathlessness scores also improved during walking, stair climbing, and running activities. Median differences were −5 for walking: interquartile range, −18 to 6; −10 for stairs: −25 to 3; and −3 for running: −19 to 0. Breathlessness at rest did not significantly change: median difference 0; interquartile range, −10 to 13; p=0.24.
Benefits Consistent Across Participant Groups
Investigators reported that responses to ENO Breathe did not differ according to age, gender, ethnicity, or preexisting asthma. No clinically significant adverse events were reported during the programme.
The findings suggest that ENO Breathe may provide a scalable and accessible intervention for people with long COVID and persistent breathlessness. Researchers also noted that the programme could potentially be explored in other conditions associated with chronic breathlessness and may help guide development of similar supportive interventions.
Reference
Philip KEJ et al. An online singing-based breathing and wellbeing programme (ENO Breathe) in people with long COVID breathlessness in the UK: a cohort study. Lancet Digit Health. 2027:100988.
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