Electronic databases were searched to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating multicomponent services that enrolled patients due to symptoms, rather than underlying disease, and provided at least one nonpharmacological intervention. The primary outcome was chronic breathlessness and secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life (HRQoL), cough, fatigue and adverse events. At least two authors independently screened studies, assessed risk of bias and extracted data.

Five RCTs, involving 439 patients, were included. In comparison to usual care, multicomponent services improved breathlessness mastery (Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) mastery scale, mean difference (MD) 0.43 points, 95% CI 0.20–0.67, three RCTs, 327 participants) and HRQoL (CRQ total score, MD 0.24 points, 95% CI 0.04–0.40, two RCTs, 237 participants). Fatigue did not improve with multicomponent services and no studies evaluated cough. No serious adverse events were reported. The one study evaluating mortality found increased survival in those accessing a multicomponent service. The certainty of evidence was very low, mainly due to detection and reporting bias.

Multicomponent services improve breathlessness mastery and HRQoL, with minimal risk. These findings support the use of multicomponent symptom-directed services for people living with serious respiratory illness.

Electronic databases were searched to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) testing GET (involving incremental increases in exercise from an established baseline) in adults with serious respiratory illness. The primary outcome was fatigue and secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and adverse events. Two authors independently screened for inclusion, evaluated risk of bias and extracted data.

76 RCTs were included with 3309 participants, most with a diagnosis of COPD or asthma. Reductions in fatigue measured by the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire fatigue domain score were demonstrated following GET consisting of aerobic with/without resistance training (mean difference (MD) 0.53 points, 95% CI 0.41–0.65, 11 RCTs, 624 participants) and GET using resistance training alone (MD 0.58 points, 95% CI 0.21–0.96, two RCTs, 82 participants) compared with usual care. Although the mean effect exceeded the minimal important difference, the lower end of the confidence intervals did not always exceed this threshold so the clinical significance could not be confirmed. GET consistently improved HRQoL in people with a range of chronic respiratory diseases on multiple HRQoL measures. No serious adverse events related to GET were reported.

GET may improve fatigue alongside consistent improvements in HRQoL in people with serious respiratory illness. These findings support the use of GET in the care of people with serious respiratory illness.

Electronic databases were searched to identify randomised controlled trials testing breathing techniques (techniques that aim to alter the respiratory pattern, excluding respiratory muscle training) in people with serious respiratory illness. The primary outcome was breathlessness and secondary outcomes were health-related quality of life and adverse events. Two authors independently screened for inclusion, evaluated risk of bias and extracted data.

73 randomised controlled trials were included with 5479 participants, most with COPD or asthma. Breathing exercises (pursed lip and/or diaphragmatic breathing) reduced breathlessness measured by the modified Medical Research Council scale compared to usual care (mean difference (MD) –0.40 points, 95% CI –0.70– –0.11, eight studies, n=323), although the effect did not exceed the minimal important difference. Yoga breathing also improved modified Medical Research Council score compared to usual care (MD –1.05 points, 95% CI –2.45–0.35, three studies, n=175). Breathing techniques consistently improved health-related quality of life in people with COPD and asthma on multiple health-related quality of life measures in comparison to usual care, with effects that generally exceeded the minimal important difference. No adverse events related to breathing techniques were reported.

Breathing techniques may improve breathlessness, and consistently improve health-related quality of life, in people with serious respiratory illness. These findings support the use of breathing exercises in the care of people with serious respiratory illness.

We examined the efficacy and safety of opioids for symptom management in people with serious respiratory illness. Embase, MEDLINE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched up to 11 July 2022. Reports of randomised controlled trials administering opioids to treat symptoms in people with serious respiratory illness were included. Key exclusion criteria included <80% of participants having a nonmalignant lung disease. Data were extracted regarding study characteristics, outcomes of breathlessness, cough, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and adverse events. Treatment effects were pooled using a generic inverse variance model with random effects. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool version 1.

Out of 17 included trials, six were laboratory-based exercise trials (n=70), 10 were home studies measuring breathlessness in daily life (n=788) and one (n=18) was conducted in both settings. Overall certainty of evidence was "very low" to "low". Opioids reduced breathlessness intensity during laboratory exercise testing (standardised mean difference (SMD) –0.37, 95% CI –0.67– –0.07), but not breathlessness measured in daily life (SMD –0.10, 95% CI –0.64–0.44). No effects on HRQoL (SMD –0.42, 95% CI –0.98–0.13) or cough (SMD –1.42, 95% CI –3.99–1.16) were detected. In at-home studies, opioids led to increased frequency of nausea/vomiting (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.70–6.51), constipation (OR 3.08, 95% CI 1.69–5.61) and drowsiness (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.01–1.86), with serious adverse events including hospitalisation and death identified.

Opioids improved exertional breathlessness in laboratory exercise studies, but did not improve breathlessness, cough or HRQoL measured in daily life at home. There were significant adverse events, which may outweigh any benefits.