Lung Vital Capacity of Choir Singers and Nonsingers: A Comparative Study.
OBJECTIVE
The popularity of choir singing among Indonesian university students as an extracurricular activity has increased in the last few years. Choir singers use physiology principles especially respiration roles in the voice production process. This research aims to determine the lung vital capacity difference between singers and nonsingers.


METHODS
This is a cross-sectional study which uses primary data collected from spirograms of 20 university students. Half of the students were Airlangga University choir singers, and the other half were students who are not members of the choir. The spirometry tests were performed to obtain inspiratory capacity, vital capacity, and forced vital capacity of both groups.


RESULTS
The average lung vital capacity of choir singers was higher (3.12 L) than that of the nonsingers (2.73 L). The average inspiratory capacity of the singer group was 1.79 L, and the average inspiratory capacity of the nonsinger group was 1.71 L. The lung vital capacity difference between singers and nonsingers group was statistically significant (P = 0.02). There was no significant inspiratory capacity difference between singers and nonsingers group in this study (P = 0.611). The forced vital capacity measurement showed a significant difference (P = 0.01) between singers (75.28%) and nonsingers (68.14%).


CONCLUSIONS
It can be understood that the increasing vital capacity in choir singers is most likely from the expiration phase of the respiration. Further studies need to be conducted to confirm the causes of the increasing vital capacity in singers.
Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia. Electronic address: abyan-i-11@fk.unair.ac.id.
Abyan
A
Irzaldy
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia.
Sundari Indah
SI
Wiyasihati
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, Surabaya, Indonesia.
Bambang
B
Purwanto
D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D045853:Exhalation; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D007320:Inspiratory Capacity; D008168:Lung / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D063346:Singing; D013147:Spirometry; D014495:Universities; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
Choir; Inspiratory capacity; Singer; Spirometry; Vital capacity