Treatment for Teachers With Vocal Fatigue

NCT04486989 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 1R15DC017014-01A10819.1s-ETSU
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 31
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Teachers are a population at high risk for voice disorders given their occupational demands. In a teaching career, a common debilitating symptom among all vocal symptoms experienced is - vocal fatigue, impacting teachers' occupational performance and increasing health care costs. It is therefore essential to identify potential treatment options to alleviate the symptom of vocal fatigue. The purpose of this study is to utilize a body-system level cardiovascular training protocol in comparison to traditional voice production training to alleviate the symptoms of vocal fatigue.

Conditions

Vocal Fatigue; Treatment

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Changes in Physiologic Cost of Speaking

  Physiologic Cost of Speaking is measured as the rate of oxygen consumption at steady state/ rate of speech (wpm) for each of the two reading tasks

  At baseline, at 4 weeks after treatment

• Changes in Oxygen Uptake Kinetics

  Oxygen Uptake Kinetics is measured as the pattern of oxygen use during each of the two reading tasks

  At baseline, at 4 weeks after treatment

• Changes in Post Task Physiological Recovery

  Post Task Physiological Recovery is measured as the time, seconds, to reach baseline of oxygen consumption post task (within 0.2ml/kg/min) following each of the reading tasks

  At baseline, at 4 weeks after treatment

• Changes in Excess Post Exercise Consumption (EPOC)

  EPOC is measured as the magnitude of recovery oxygen consumption, ml/kg/min for each of the reading tasks

  At baseline, at 4 weeks after treatment

• Changes in Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE)

  Borg Scale of Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE)- measures the self-report of vocal effort for each of the reading tasks

  At baseline, at 4 weeks after treatment

• Changes in Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI)

  Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) is a retrospective scale that measures self-reported symptoms of vocal fatigue

  At baseline, at 4 weeks after treatment

• Changes in Global Rating of Vocal Fatigue (VAS 100mm)

  Global Rating of Vocal Fatigue (VAS 100mm) measures the ability to sustain voice with no fatigue at the end of a working day

  At baseline, at 4 weeks after treatment

Study Arms (2)

Cardiovascular Conditioning Protocol

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will complete a sub maximal cardiovascular training program twice per week for a period of 4 weeks.

Behavioral: Cardiovascular Conditioning Protocol

Voice Production Exercises

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will complete voice production exercises twice per week for a period of 4 weeks.

Other: Voice Production Exercises

Interventions

Cardiovascular Conditioning Protocol BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be randomized to either one of the treatment arms to receive treatment for a period of 4 weeks.

Cardiovascular Conditioning Protocol

Voice Production Exercises OTHER

Participants will be randomized to either one of the treatment arms to receive treatment for a period of 4 weeks.

Voice Production Exercises

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 21 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Female teachers between the ages of 21-60 years Female instructors and college professors between the ages of 21-60 years
• A score of ≥ 15 on factor 1 of the VFI (tiredness and avoidance of voice use) or a score of ≤ 5 on factor 3 of the VFI (improvement of symptoms or lack thereof with rest)
• Sedentary- wherein participants will need to be completing mild intensity cardiovascular exercise less than 150 minutes in less than 5 days per week

You may not qualify if:

• Trained athletes
• Trained singers
• Smoking in the past 6months
• Prior history of a vocal fold pathology and current vocal fold pathology

Sponsors & Collaborators

• East Tennessee State University: lead

Study Sites (1)

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, Tennessee, 37614, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Voice Disorders

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Laryngeal Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2020
• First Posted: July 27, 2020
• Study Start: February 4, 2020
• Primary Completion: March 30, 2023
• Study Completion: June 6, 2023
• Last Updated: November 18, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)