Influence of Ambient Music on Perceived Exertion During a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Session: A Randomized Crossover Study.

Reychler, Gregory [UCL] Mottart, Florian [UCL] Boland, Maëlle [UCL] Wasterlain, Emmanuelle [UCL] Pieters, Thierry [UCL] Caty, Gilles [UCL] Liistro, Giuseppe [UCL]

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary rehabilitation is a key element in the treatment of COPD. Music has been shown to have a positive effect on parameters related to a decrease in exercise tolerance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of listening to ambient music on perceived exertion during a pulmonary rehabilitation session for COPD subjects. METHODS: COPD subjects randomly performed a session of pulmonary rehabilitation with or without ambient music. Perceived exertion (Borg scales), anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety Subscale), dyspnea (visual analog scale), and cardiorespiratory parameters were compared at the end of both sessions. RESULTS: Forty-one subjects were analyzed. The characteristics of the COPD subjects were as follows: age, 70.5 ± 8.4 y; body mass index, 22.7 ± 3.9 kg/m2; and FEV1, 38.6 ± 12.5 % predicted. Perceived exertion was not modified by ambient music, but anxiety was improved (P = .02). Dyspnea, fatigue and cardiorespiratory parameters were not influenced by music during a typical session of the pulmonary rehabilitation program. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that perceived exertion during one pulmonary rehabilitation session was not influenced by ambient music. However, a positive effect on anxiety was observed.