AN ONLINE group singing program significantly improved quality of life in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or interstitial lung disease (ILD). This is according to results from the Phase III SINFONIA randomized controlled trial.
Conducted in Australia, the trial evaluated whether a 12-week, fully online singing intervention could improve health-related quality of life compared with usual care. A total of 101 participants were enrolled, including 64 with COPD and 37 with ILD. The mean age was 69.6 years, and nearly three quarters of participants were women.
The intervention group reported a mean 7.4-point higher score on the SF36 quality of life scale compared with controls (95% CI, 0.6–14.1; p=0.031). In per-protocol analysis, participants who attended at least eight singing sessions achieved an 11-point gain, exceeding the minimal clinically important difference of 10 points.
Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested particular benefit among women, individuals with anxiety or depression, and those who had not previously participated in pulmonary rehabilitation. For participants with coexisting anxiety or depression, average treatment effects reached 18.4 points (95% CI: 7.8–29.0; p=0.001).
Despite these quality of life improvements, no significant differences were observed in secondary outcomes including anxiety, depression, dyspnea, or loneliness. Importantly, no adverse events were reported.
Investigators conclude that this represents the first adequately powered randomized controlled trial to demonstrate meaningful improvements in quality of life through an entirely online singing program for individuals living with COPD or ILD. The findings highlight the potential for scalable, non-pharmacological interventions to enhance wellbeing in populations facing chronic breathlessness and limited treatment options.
Reference: Smallwood N, et al. The SINFONIA study: a phase III randomised controlled trial of an online group singing intervention for people with COPD or ILD. Abstract RCT2291. ERS 2025.
