45
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
0 collections
    0
    shares
      • Record: found
      • Abstract: found
      • Article: found
      Is Open Access

      Singing teaching as a therapy for chronic respiratory disease - a randomised controlled trial and qualitative evaluation

      research-article

      Read this article at

      Bookmark
          There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

          Abstract

          Background

          Despite optimal pharmacological therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation, patients with COPD continue to be breathless. There is a need to develop additional strategies to alleviate symptoms. Learning to sing requires control of breathing and posture and might have benefits that translate into daily life.

          Methods

          To test this hypothesis we performed a randomised controlled trial, comparing a six week course of twice weekly singing classes to usual care, in 28 COPD patients. The experience of singing was assessed in a qualitative fashion, through interviews with a psychologist. In addition, we surveyed patients with chronic respiratory conditions who participated in a series of open singing workshops.

          Results

          In the RCT, the physical component score of the SF36 improved in the singers (n = 15) compared to the controls (n = 13); +7.5(14.6) vs. -3.8(8.4) p = 0.02. Singers also had a significant fall in HAD anxiety score; -1.1(2.7) vs. +0.8(1.7) p = 0.03. Singing did not improve single breath counting, breath hold time or shuttle walk distance. In the qualitative element, 8 patients from the singing group were interviewed. Positive effects on physical sensation, general well-being, community/social support and achievement/efficacy emerged as common themes. 150 participants in open workshops completed a questionnaire. 96% rated the workshops as "very enjoyable" and 98% thought the workshop had taught them something about breathing in a different way. 81% of attendees felt a "marked physical difference" after the workshop.

          Conclusion

          Singing classes can improve quality of life measures and anxiety and are viewed as a very positive experience by patients with respiratory disease; no adverse consequences of participation were observed.

          Trial Registration

          Current Controlled Trials - ISRCTN17544114.

          Related collections

          Most cited references26

          • Record: found
          • Abstract: not found
          • Article: not found

          Standards for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with COPD: a summary of the ATS/ERS position paper.

          W MacNee, , B Celli (2004)
            Bookmark
            • Record: found
            • Abstract: not found
            • Article: not found

            Standards for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with COPD: a summary of the ATS/ERS position paper

              Bookmark
              • Record: found
              • Abstract: not found
              • Article: not found

              American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society statement on pulmonary rehabilitation.

                Bookmark

                Author and article information

                Journal
                BMC Pulm Med
                BMC Pulmonary Medicine
                BioMed Central
                1471-2466
                2010
                3 August 2010
                : 10
                : 41
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, Sydney Street, London SW3 6NP, UK
                [2 ]National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, Royal Brompton Campus, Fulham Rd, London SW3 6NP, UK
                Article
                1471-2466-10-41
                10.1186/1471-2466-10-41
                2920262
                20682030
                2bd9a17e-782a-4a96-bfd9-bff2f5d8bafe
                Copyright ©2010 Lord et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

                This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

                History
                : 8 March 2010
                : 3 August 2010
                Categories
                Research Article

                Respiratory medicine
                Respiratory medicine

                Comments

                Comment on this article