Breathing-group scores improved after bypass surgery; comparative benefit remains unclear
A randomized trial compared deep breathing with a control group after coronary bypass surgery. Reported improvements were within the breathing group; the abstract does not provide the corresponding between-group effects.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
After coronary bypass surgery, patients assigned to deep breathing reported improved sleep scores and lower anxiety and depression scores compared with their own starting measurements. Although the study had a randomized control group, the abstract reports no clear between-group effect estimates. These results therefore leave the additional benefit of breathing exercises over control care unresolved.
The abstract supplies intervention-group changes without corresponding control-group results. Participants and intervention providers could not be blinded, which matters when interpreting reported symptoms and sleep quality.
What researchers found
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
Mean questionnaire score: 9.72 before intervention versus 2.82 one month after discharge, p = 0.0001. This is a within-group comparison; the control-group contrast is not reported.
Starting scores were the reported reference
The sleep result compares the breathing group's later questionnaire score with its own baseline. That is different from comparing changes between randomized groups, which would help distinguish an intervention effect from changes occurring during recovery.
Other symptoms followed a changing pattern
Anxiety and depression scores were lower at discharge than at baseline, then rose at the next assessment before declining again. The abstract reports questionnaire outcomes rather than evidence that participants' clinical diagnoses changed.
The original publication
Effectiveness of deep breathing exercises on anxiety, depression and sleep quality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.
Eghbali T, Rashtabadi OR, Ahmadi A et al.
Sci Rep · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40702242
- Record checked
AI-assisted research and writing. This explains one selected publication; it is not a complete review of everything known. Our approach.
One more question, understood.
Keep track of the research you’ve explored.