This study compares fundamental frequency (fo) and fundamental frequency standard deviation (foSD) 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 fo-related parameters when compared to healthy subjects, that is, patient voices presented higher fo and foSD with respect to control voices. In addition, for patient voices, there was an age and sex effect on fo SD values. Vocal parameters of women and elderly subjects showed more marked differences in fo-related parameters, indicating that patient voices are higher-pitched and have a higher variation of fo SD. Consequently, fo-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.
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January 2023
January 26 2023
Fundamental frequency related parameters in Brazilians with COVID-19a)
Special Collection:
COVID-19 Pandemic Acoustic Effects
Larissa Cristina Berti
;
Larissa Cristina Berti
b)
1
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology department, São Paulo State University
, Marília, São Paulo, 17525-900, Brazil
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Evelyn Alves Spazzapan;
Evelyn Alves Spazzapan
1
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology department, São Paulo State University
, Marília, São Paulo, 17525-900, Brazil
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Marcelo Queiroz;
Marcelo Queiroz
2
Computer Science Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo state, 05508-090, Brazil
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Pedro Leyton Pereira;
Pedro Leyton Pereira
2
Computer Science Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo state, 05508-090, Brazil
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Flaviane Romani Fernandes-Svartman;
Flaviane Romani Fernandes-Svartman
3
Classic and Vernacular Letters Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo state, 05508-090, Brazil
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Beatriz Raposo de Medeiros;
Beatriz Raposo de Medeiros
4
Linguistics Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-090, Brazil
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Marcus Vinícius Moreira Martins;
Marcus Vinícius Moreira Martins
4
Linguistics Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-090, Brazil
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Letícia Santiago Ferreira;
Letícia Santiago Ferreira
3
Classic and Vernacular Letters Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo state, 05508-090, Brazil
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Ingrid Gandolfi Gomes da Silva;
Ingrid Gandolfi Gomes da Silva
3
Classic and Vernacular Letters Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo state, 05508-090, Brazil
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Ester Cerdeira Sabino;
Ester Cerdeira Sabino
5
Institute for Tropical Medicine (IMT), University of Sao Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-090, Brazil
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Anna Sara Levin;
Anna Sara Levin
5
Institute for Tropical Medicine (IMT), University of Sao Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo State, 05508-090, Brazil
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Marcelo Finger
Marcelo Finger
2
Computer Science Department, University of São Paulo
, São Paulo, São Paulo state, 05508-090, Brazil
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b)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
a)
This paper is part of a special issue on COVID-19 Pandemic Acoustic Effects.
J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 153, 576–585 (2023)
Article history
Received:
June 28 2022
Accepted:
December 21 2022
Citation
Larissa Cristina Berti, Evelyn Alves Spazzapan, Marcelo Queiroz, Pedro Leyton Pereira, Flaviane Romani Fernandes-Svartman, Beatriz Raposo de Medeiros, Marcus Vinícius Moreira Martins, Letícia Santiago Ferreira, Ingrid Gandolfi Gomes da Silva, Ester Cerdeira Sabino, Anna Sara Levin, Marcelo Finger; Fundamental frequency related parameters in Brazilians with COVID-19. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 1 January 2023; 153 (1): 576–585. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0016848
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