PULMONARY FUNCTION STUDIES IN FEMALE SINGERS OF KOLKATA, INDIA.

Singing performance is based on the efficiency of the respiratory system. The present study was aimed to evaluate the results of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in female singers of Kolkata, India and to compare the data with their sedentary counterparts from India and abroad. The study was also aimed to propose prediction norms for PFTs in both the groups. Fifty-six female singers and fifty-two female non-singers (control group) with similar socioeconomic backgrounds were randomly sampled from the Rabindrabharati University, Kolkata. Pulmonary function tests were conducted by an Expirograph and the peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured by Wright's peak flow meter. PFTs were significantly higher in singers than in their control group. The correlation matrix depicted a significant relationship of physical parameters (age, body height and body weight) with vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratoty volume in 1 second (FEV1) and PEFR in both groups. Regression equations were computed to predict PFTs from physical parameters and duration of invovlement in singing training. The results indicated that female singers of Kolkata had higher lung capacity than their non-singer counterparts probably because of their regular practice and training of singing that required imperative effort of the respiratory system.