Role of Endorphins in Perception of Dyspnea With Resistive Loading in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Summary

Endorphins are released in response to breathing difficulty and can modify the perception of breathlessness. In this randomized placebo-controlled trial, resistive breathing loads are used to provoke breathlessness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The hypothesis of the study is that intravenous (IV) administration of naloxone, a medication which blocks endorphin activity, will increase the perception of breathlessness experienced by patients while breathing through a resistance device, compared with IV administration of normal saline.

Timeline

Start

2009-08

Primary completion

2010-08

Completion

2010-10

Outcome

Met primary endpoint

paper Patient ratings of intensity (p = 0.0004) and unpleasantness (p = 0.024) of breathlessness were higher with naloxone compared with normal saline. PMID 21513438 ↗

Publications

• Results Gifford AH, Mahler DA, Waterman LA, Ward J, Kraemer WJ, Kupchak BR, Baird JC. Neuromodulatory effect of endogenous opioids on the intensity and unpleasantness of breathlessness during resistive load breathing in COPD. COPD. 2011 Jun;8(3):160-6. doi: 10.3109/15412555.2011.560132. Epub 2011 Apr 22.

Drugs

Indications