Maximum phonation time in the pulmonary function assessment

ABSTRACT Purpose: to evaluate the reliability of the maximum phonation time (MPT) and Vital Capacity intra and inter-examiner, by means of the single-breath counting test (CT) and the sustained /a/ phoneme, and the slow vital capacity (SVC). Methods: a reliability study carried out in three groups of healthy individuals, each group with 30 volunteers, allocated according to age. SVC was measured using a spirometer, while the MPT was assessed by the phoneme /a/ and CT. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Initially, descriptive statistics were used and for data reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: the Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were considered excellent, with significant results above 0.92 for SVC and greater than 0.79 for CT and phoneme /a/. Regarding the inter-examiner evaluation, the ICCs were also significant for both SVC with values greater than 0.96, and for CT and the phoneme /a/ with values greater than 0.85. The error inherent in the technique was assessed using the standard error of the measurement for intra and inter-examiner analyses with values ranging from 1.79 to 3.29 for phoneme /a/, 3.20 to 6.58 for CT and 65, 05 to 206.73 for SVCml. Conclusion: phonation techniques with the phoneme /a/ and CT, as well as SVC, have an excellent reliability, due to intra and inter-examiner agreement measures.

摘要
目的：评估最大发声时间（maximum phonation time, MPT）与肺活量（Vital Capacity）的检查者内及检查者间可靠性，测试方式包括单次呼吸计数测试（single-breath counting test, CT）、持续发/a/音（sustained /a/ phoneme）以及慢肺活量（slow vital capacity, SVC）。
方法：本研究为可靠性研究，共招募3组健康受试者，每组30名志愿者，按年龄进行分组。采用肺量计（spirometer）测量慢肺活量（SVC），通过持续发/a/音与单次呼吸计数测试（CT）评估最大发声时间（MPT）。数据采用SPSS 20.0版本软件进行分析。首先使用描述性统计方法，对于数据可靠性分析，则采用组内相关系数（intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC）。
结果：组内相关系数（ICC）结果表现优异，其中慢肺活量（SVC）的ICC值具有统计学意义且高于0.92，单次呼吸计数测试（CT）与持续发/a/音的ICC值同样具有统计学意义且大于0.79。在检查者间评估方面，慢肺活量（SVC）的ICC值亦具有统计学意义，数值大于0.96；单次呼吸计数测试（CT）与持续发/a/音的ICC值同样具有统计学意义，数值大于0.85。本研究通过检查者内与检查者间分析的测量标准误（standard error of the measurement）评估了该技术的固有误差：持续发/a/音的测量标准误范围为1.79~3.29，单次呼吸计数测试（CT）为3.20~6.58，慢肺活量（SVC）为65.05~206.73 mL。
结论：持续发/a/音、单次呼吸计数测试（CT）以及慢肺活量（SVC）的相关检测技术，其检查者内与检查者间一致性良好，因此具备优异的可靠性。