2025 Updates
Manuscript in preparation · 2025
Validation of Single Breath Forced Expiratory Counting (SBC) as a Measure of Cardiorespiratory Fitness
What was studied: Whether Single Breath Counting (taking a deep breath and counting “1001, 1002, 1003…” aloud until another breath is needed) tracks the same progress as the Six-Minute Walk Test, a standard measure of heart and lung fitness. This is the study listed below as study no. 1, now completed.
Who took part: 43 patients aged 45–75 in Phase 2 Cardiac Rehab at the Carle Curtis and Carle Danville clinics, tested before starting rehab and again at weeks 3 and 6.
What was found:
- Single Breath Count and six-minute walk distance both improved over the 6-week program, with the greatest gains in the first 3 weeks.
- The two measures were significantly correlated, but not closely enough to predict an individual patient’s walking distance from their breath count.
- SBC may still be useful as a simple, no-cost way to monitor progress over time, including at home or by telemonitoring, for patients who cannot easily do a walking test.
Final draft · 2025
Assessing Pulmonary Function and Endurance Through Kabaddi-Based Single Breath Counting
What was studied: Kabaddi-Based Single Breath Counting (KB-SBC), modeled on the traditional Indian sport of Kabaddi, where players chant on a single held breath. Participants inhaled deeply and counted aloud on one breath; lung function (FEV1), blood oxygen (SpO₂), breathlessness and functional endurance were measured before and after.
Who took part: 180 healthy adult volunteers (84 men, 96 women) across all BMI groups, at the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), India. Approved by the PIMS Institutional Ethics Committee (RC/2025/15/71361).
What was found:
- After a single KB-SBC session, lung function (FEV1) and blood oxygen (SpO₂) improved significantly.
- The improvement was similar across underweight, normal, overweight and obese participants.
- A person’s count did not track their spirometry results, suggesting KB-SBC measures breath control rather than lung size, and is best seen as a complement to spirometry, not a replacement.
- The authors describe KB-SBC as safe, feasible and culturally relevant, needing no equipment, and call for longer studies with control groups and in people with lung disease.
Studies Listed in 2021
1. Study Title: Validation of single breath forced expiratory counting (SBC), Correlating with 6 Minutes Walk (6MW) as a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) starting in December 2021.
Principal Investigator: Malec Mokraoui MD, Sponsors: Carle Heart and Vascular Institute, 611 W. Park Street, Urbana IL 61801.
Co Sponsors: Health Care Engineering Systems Center, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (UIUC) and CNN4ALL, 2610 E Florida Ave, Urbana, IL.
2. Study Title: ‘Validation of Single Breath Counting(SBC) as a new Vital sign in Patients with Covid-19 Infections”
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mrs. Geetha Philip MD, Senior Physician of Aster Medcity Hospital, in Kochi, Kerala, India.
This is an International Research of CNN4ALL with Aster Medcity Hospital in Kochi, Kerala, India, with Carle Heart and Vascular Institute, Urbana IL 61801 and Health Care Engineering Systems Center, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (UIUC). Completed the study in 400 Covid-19 patients admitted to the Aster Medcity Multispeciality Hospital in Kochi, Kerala, India and the data is being analysed for publication.
3. For 2022. Study Title: “Therapeutic Efficacy of Rhemercise Plus: A Novel Mindfulness Technique in 50 Patients With Opioid Use Disorder and 50 Patients with Alcohol Use Disorders”. To be done in India and the coordinators are: Dr. Deepam Kundal, Dr. Sajpy P Verghese and Dr. Alex Rhema Zachariah. The study will be done with a mobile app called ‘Rhemercise Plus’