Box breathing may ease Procedure-Related discomfort
NCT ID NCT07328477
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tested whether a simple breathing technique called box breathing can help reduce anxiety, pain, and nausea in patients undergoing a procedure called ERCP. Seventy adults were randomly assigned to either learn the breathing technique or receive standard care. The technique involves breathing in, holding, breathing out, and holding again, each for four seconds. The goal is to see if this non-drug approach can improve patient comfort.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- box breathing technique
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, drug-free way to help patients feel calmer and more comfortable during ERCP procedures.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-center study with 70 participants. The results may not apply to all patients or settings, and the technique may not work for everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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70 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2025
- Finished
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Mar 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18 years or older * Scheduled to undergo endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) * Able to communicate verbally * Able to understand and perform the box breathing technique * Willing to participate and provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Cognitive impairment or psychiatric disorders affecting cooperation * Hearing or communication problems that prevent understanding instructions * Use of sedative or anxiolytic medication before ERCP other than standard sedation * Previous participation in breathing or relaxation training programs * Emergency ERCP procedures
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Goztepe Prof. Dr. Suleyman Yalcin City Hospital
Istanbul, 34730, Turkey (Türkiye)
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