Music may help patients with lung disease exercise

By David Douglas

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - By distracting lung disease patients from their breathing symptoms, music delivered via headphones may help them achieve the recommended exercise goals, according to German researchers.

"Our findings show the important influence of psychological aspects on how patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) perceive" their shortness of breath, lead investigator Dr. Andreas von Leupoldt told Reuters Health.

COPD refers to two types of main lung disease, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Although the diseases differ in some ways, the main problem with both is that the patient has difficulty moving air into and out of the lungs. Both diseases are strongly linked to smoking.

In the medical journal Chest, von Leupoldt, of the University of Hamburg, and colleagues point out that although psychological factors can influence the perception of shortness of breath, little is known about the potential impact of distracting stimuli.

To investigate further, the researchers studied 20 patients with mild to severe COPD who underwent two 6-minute walk tests. In one they were outfitted with MP3 players and headphones, but no music was played. During the other, they listened to "upbeat" classical or pop music.

A similar exercise level was achieved during both of the tests and the intensity of shortness of breath was perceived to be the same. However, scores for unpleasantness of the symptoms showed less of an increase during the music session.

The researchers note that shortness of breath is the primary symptom limiting exercise in these patients and often causes the patient to avoid physical activity, loss of muscle tone and strength, and increases in shortness of breath.

These findings suggest, concluded von Leupoldt, "that in addition to physiological treatments, psychological interventions can help alleviate the burden of (shortness of breath) in these patients."

SOURCE: Chest, November 2007.