{
  "abstract": "Objectives Our aim was to evaluate virtual reality’s effects in dyspnoea’s management.Methods Information sources: Trials were identified through a systematic search carried out on MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus and CINAHL until 17 March 2025. Eligibility criteria: Eligible studies were controlled trials including adults with dyspnoea associated with respiratory diseases, for whom virtual reality was implemented and compared with another intervention. Risk of bias: Risk of bias (ROB) was assessed using the ROB 2 tool. Synthesis of results: The primary outcome was dyspnoea. Secondary outcomes included exercise capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and muscle function. Effect size was expressed using standardised mean difference (SMD) or MD for primary and secondary outcomes, respectively (random-effects model). We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach to judge the certainty of evidence.Results Included studies: 13 studies were selected, including 483 adults and using non-immersive tools (n=7) or immersive tools (n=6). Risk of bias in these studies was low (n=1), some concerns (n=8) and high risk (n=4). Synthesis of results: No difference was found in dyspnoea (8 studies, 224 participants; SMD 0.02, 95% CI −0.82 to 0.86, I 2=88.2%), exercise capacity (5 studies, 183 participants; MD 3.62, 95% CI −19.39 to 26.63, I2=39.8%) and in HRQOL (4 studies, 127 participants; MD −11.81, 95% CI −42.95 to 19.33, I2=98.9%). The data available were insufficient to conduct a pooled analysis for muscle function.Conclusions Limitations of evidence: The evidence is very uncertain about virtual reality’s effects on dyspnoea due to risk of bias, imprecision and heterogeneity. Interpretation: Further studies are needed and should explore various aspects of the application of immersive virtual reality.PROSPERO registration number CRD42023443280.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Intensive Care, Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France",
        "Respiratory Rehabilitation, Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France"
      ],
      "name": "Johan Wormser"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Intensive Care, Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France"
      ],
      "name": "Christophe Romanet"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Clinical Research, Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France"
      ],
      "name": "Marine Cachanado"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Clinical Research, Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France"
      ],
      "name": "Maëlle Youinou"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Clinical Research, Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France"
      ],
      "name": "Gilles Chatellier"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Physiotherapy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain"
      ],
      "name": "Irene Torres Sánchez"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Intensive Care, Paris Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France",
        "Microbiology, Institute for Integrative Cell Biology, Gif-sur-Yvette, France"
      ],
      "name": "François Philippart"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Virtual reality in adults with respiratory diseases experiencing dyspnoea: a systematic review and meta-analysis",
  "uid": "b6177e70-b03f-5eb6-85fb-bd90e96e6416"
}