Mild asthmatics benefit from music therapy.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation with music therapy in patients with asthma.

METHODS

Seventy-six selected inpatients (54 women and 22 men; mean age = 56.4 years; SD = 11.8) with stable asthma underwent pulmonary rehabilitation in two groups: standard versus music therapy.

RESULTS

After the intervention, an increase in analyzed spirometric values (forced expiratory volume at the first second (FEV(1)), FEV(1) as a percentage of vital capacity (FEV(1) % FVC), forced expiratory flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of vital capacity (FEF(25), FEF(50), and FEF(75), respectively), and peak expiratory flow) was observed in both the groups (p < .05) but without any intergroup differences (p > .05). A greater increase of mean FEV(1) % FVC, FEF(50), and FEF(75) values was observed only in the patients with mild asthma from the music therapy group (p < .05). In both the groups, a dyspnea reduction was noted (p < .001). However, it was influenced neither by the type of rehabilitation nor by the gender (p > .05), but the interaction of these variables was significant (p = .044). A dyspnea reduction was observed in women in both the groups (p < .001) and in men in the music therapy group only (p = .001). A change in the value of anxiety (6.43, SD = 7.73) on the 10th day compared with the first day of the study was noticed (p < .001). However, this change was not influenced by the type of rehabilitation, gender, or a combination of these two variables (p > .05).

CONCLUSION

Music therapy improves the respiratory function in patients with mild asthma and reduces dyspnea mainly in men with asthma.