Fundamental frequency related parameters in Brazilians with COVID-19

Author(s):Show less -

Berti, Larissa Cristina ; Spazzapan, Evelyn Alves ; Queiroz, Marcelo ; Pereira, Pedro Leyton ; Fernandes-Svartman, Flaviane Romani ; de Medeiros, Beatriz Raposo ; Martins, Marcus Vinicius Moreira ; Ferreira, Leticia Santiago ; da Silva, Ingrid Gandolfi Gomes ; Sabino, Ester Cerdeira ; Levin, Anna Sara ; Finger, Marcelo

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA; v. 153, n. 1, p. 10-pg., 2023-01-01.

Abstract

This study compares fundamental frequency (f(o)) and fundamental frequency standard deviation (f(o)SD) of COVID-19 patients with the same parameters in the speech of subjects without COVID-19, and verifies whether there is an effect of age and sex in the patient group. Both groups, subjects with and without COVID-19, are formed by Brazilian Portuguese speakers. Speech samples were obtained from 100 patients with mild to severe symptoms of COVID-19, and 100 healthy subjects. A single 31-syllable Portuguese sentence was used as the elicitation material for all subjects. The recordings were divided into four age groups. The acoustic measures were semi-automatically extracted and analyzed by a series of analyses of variance. Patients with COVID-19 present vocal differences in f(o)-related parameters when compared to healthy subjects, that is, patient voices presented higher f(o) and f(o)SD with respect to control voices. In addition, for patient voices, there was an age and sex effect on f(o) SD values. Vocal parameters of women and elderly subjects showed more marked differences in f(o)-related parameters, indicating that patient voices are higher-pitched and have a higher variation of f(o) SD. Consequently, f(o)-related parameters may be tested as vocal biomarkers in the screening of respiratory insufficiency by voice analysis, in patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/06443-5 - Spira: system for early-detection of respiratory insufficiency by voice audio analysis
• Grantee: Marcelo Finger
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 20/03990-5 - Integration of auditory-visual cues on speech perception in children with phonological disorders
• Grantee: Larissa Cristina Berti
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants