Perceptual, Aerodynamic, and Acoustic Characteristics of Voice Changes in Patients with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease

Development of a New Self-Assessment Tool for Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Screening in Singers (SVHI-12-LPR)

INTRODUCTION

The present study aimed to develop a new tool for the evaluation of singers with self-reported symptoms suggestive of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) (the SVHI-12-LPR), by correlating RSI with SVHI in a population sample of 163 subjects (both professional and amateur singers), evaluated also by videolaryngostroboscopy. This study was a cross-sectional, double-observational study.

METHODS

RSI and SVHI were administered to 159 singers (amateurs, singing students, and professional singers). All subjects underwent videolaryngostroboscopy to objectively identify four subgroups: normal subjects (41.5%), subjects with organic lesions occupying the glottic space (17.6%), subjects with functional dysphonia (18.2%), and subjects presenting solely signs suggestive of LPR (22.6%). Using the validated RSI threshold, 33.9% of participants presented an RSI total score >13, suggestive of LPR.

RESULTS

Subjects with a suspected diagnosis of LPR at videolaryngostroboscopy presented a mean RSI significantly higher than other subgroups (p < 0.001). Moreover, the SVHI-36 score did not statistically differ between pathological subgroups. A significant positive relationship was observed between RSI and SVHI total score (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [ρ] = 0.474, p < 0.001). 12 SVHI items (items 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 20, 24, 25, 26, 30) showed a significant association with RSI pathology classification. Statistical analysis demonstrated for the 12 selected items (SVHI-12-LPR) acceptable specificity (0.691) and sensibility (0.833) for the suspected diagnosis of LPR with a cut-off of 15.

CONCLUSIONS

From the SVHI-36, 12 items were extracted that correlated with the specific impact that LPR has on the singer's voice (SVHI-12-LPR), as evaluated by RSI and videolaryngostroboscopy. Such questionnaire represents a new tool that could be applied to singers with symptoms suggestive of LPR to select which patients would benefit from a further phoniatric and videolaryngostroboscopic evaluation.

Defining the Performance of Clinician's Ability to Screen for Laryngeal Mass From Voice

OBJECTIVE

Defining a clinician's ability to perceptually identify mass from voice will inform the feasibility, design priorities, and performance standards for tools developed to screen for laryngeal mass from voice. This study defined clinician ability of and examined the impact of expertise on screening for laryngeal mass from voice.

STUDY DESIGN

Task comparison study between experts and nonexperts rating voices for the probability of a laryngeal mass.

SETTING

Online, remote.

METHODS

Experts (voice-focused speech-language pathologists and otolaryngologists) and nonexperts (general medicine providers) rated 5-s/i/voice samples (with pathology defined by laryngoscopy) for the probability of laryngeal mass via an online survey. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimated interrater and intrarater reliability. Diagnostic performance metrics were calculated. A linear mixed effects model examined the impact of expertise and pathology on ratings.

RESULTS

Forty clinicians (21 experts and 19 nonexperts) evaluated 344 voice samples. Experts outperformed nonexperts, with a higher area under the curve (70% vs 61%), sensitivity (49% vs 36%), and specificity (83% vs 77%) (all comparisons p < .05). Interrater reliability was fair for experts and poor for nonexperts (ICC: 0.48 vs 0.34), while intrarater reliability was excellent and good, respectively (ICC: 0.9 and 0.6). The main effects of expertise and underlying pathology were significant in the linear model (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Clinicians demonstrate inadequate performance screening for laryngeal mass from voice to use auditory perception for dysphonia triage. Experts' superior performance indicates that there is acoustic information in a voice that may be utilized to detect laryngeal mass based on voice.

The Effects of Hard Voice Onset on Objective Voice Function in Patients With Laryngopharyngeal Reflux

OBJECTIVE

Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) causes laryngopharyngeal hypersensitivity and laryngeal muscle hyperfunction, which may result in hard voice onset in patients with LPR. The purpose of this study is to examine the incidence of hard voice onset in patients with LPR and the effects of hard voice onset on objective voice function in patients with LPR.

METHODS

Forty patients with confirmed LPR were enrolled in the LPR group, and 40 healthy subjects were enrolled in the non-LPR group. Subjects underwent laryngeal high-speed videoendoscopy, and the presence or absence of hard voice onset in each subject was determined by two experienced laryngologists based on whether glottal closure was complete or incomplete before vocal fold vibration. Based on the results, the subjects with LPR were divided into a hard voice onset group and a non-hard voice onset group. The voice onset time (VOT) was measured and compared between the hard and non-hard voice onset groups within the LPR group. Laryngeal aerodynamic assessment was also carried out on the LPR group, and subglottal pressure, phonation threshold pressure (PTP), glottal resistance, and mean flow rate were measured. The voice acoustic signals of subjects were additionally analyzed in the LPR group, and the fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and noise-harmony ratio were determined. The kappa statistic, chi-square test and independent-samples t test in SPSS were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The two laryngologists had substantial inter-rater consistency on the evaluation of hard voice onset and non-hard voice onset, with a kappa statistic of 0.71. In the LPR group, 42.5% of patients had hard voice onset (17/40), significantly more than in the non-LPR group (8/40, 20%) (P < 0.05). The VOT in the LPR group was significantly longer than in the non-LPR group (P < 0.05). Within the LPR group, the VOT, PTP and shimmer were significantly greater in the hard voice onset group than in the non-hard voice onset group (all P < 0.05). The other laryngeal aerodynamic parameters and acoustic parameters were not significantly different between the hard voice onset group and the non-hard voice onset group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Changes in vocal production may occur in LPR patients, causing them to be more susceptible to hard voice onset. The patients with hard voice onset require longer VOT and greater PTP to initiate phonation.

Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) and Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI) in Singing Students: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE

To correlate, RSI with SVHI, in a group of singing students, by means of a specific anamnestic questionnaire which analyzes the physical, social, emotional, and economic impacts of voice problems on their lives. This study is a cross-sectional single-center observational study.

METHODS

Forty-two modern singing students (26F/16M; average age: 24.9 ± 5.7; range: 16-46 years old) were recruited. A self-assessment of the singing-voice (SVHI) and of reflux symptom (RSI) was performed.

RESULTS

Using the validated RSI threshold, 31% of participants were classified as RSI greater than 13 as an indication of suspected LPR. Classifying the SVHI score as proposed in the recent literature (cutoff of 20.35) our sample was a voice disorders prevalence of 71.4%. There was no significant positive or negative relationship between RSI and SVHI total score (rho = 0.238, P = 0.13). Instead, by considering the relationship between the individual items of the two questionnaires, it is highlighted that the item 1 of SVHI was significantly correlated with most of the RSI items (P = 0.0001-0.006). In the same vein, the item 5 of SVHI was correlated to hoarseness and coughing (P = 0.005-0.006). The item 20 of SVHI was significantly correlated with hoarseness, excess mucus in the throat or postnasal drip and with the pharyngeal Globus sensation (P = 0.001-0.005). By aggregating the SVHI item response as a positive response (2-4) versus a negative response (0 or 1) between "RSI pathology classification," a significant association was observed for SVHI item 1 (P < 0.021), item 5 (P < 0.006), item 20 (P < 0.042), item 24 (P < 0.044) item 25 (P < 0.047). These associations were confirmed by univariate binary logistic. Multivariate binary logistic regression confirms that SVHI Item 1, Item 5 were more associated with RSI positive. Based on results, we propose a questionnaire that combines the most relevant SVHI items correlated to LPRD (SVHI-10-LPRD questionnaire). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 10 items selected was 0.87; item-total correlation coefficients for each item were in the range of 0.461 to 0.670.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot study shows that, in case of significant RSI for LPR, it is possible to observe a significant association with some symptoms described in SVHI. These results underline that the association of the RSI and SVHI questionnaires administered to singers and singing students, can represent a simple screening to reveal possible alterations of the singing voice correlate to LPR. Moreover, we propose a Singing Voice Handicap Index correlated to LPR (SVHI-10-LPRD). It will be necessary to increase the sample of subjects in the study to confirm these preliminary data.

Diagnostic Value of Acoustic and Aerodynamic Measurements in Vocal Fold Movement Disorders and their Correlation with Laryngeal Electromyography and Voice Handicap Index

OBJECTIVES

Investigate the relationships between the Voice Handicap Index, laryngeal electromyography, and objective acoustic voice testing in order to determine the utility of these measures in the management of vocal fold movement disorders.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients who had completed a Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) questionnaire, laryngeal electromyography (LEMG), and objective acoustic measurements (including jitter, relative average perturbation, shimmer, noise-to-harmonic ratio, and standard deviation of fundamental frequency). All three tests had been completed within 30 days of the initial evaluation. All patients' results for acoustic measures were recorded as standard deviations from the norm. LEMG results were converted to grade of paresis (mild, moderate, severe) based on the muscle with the lowest recruitment. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the relationship between these three parameters.

RESULTS

A total of 313 subjects were included in the analysis. VHI-10, LEMG (grade of paresis), and objective acoustic measures were, at best, weakly correlated. VHI-10 was better correlated than LEMG to each acoustic parameter including the average acoustic scores; however, the highest correlation observed only reached ρ = 0.349 (P < 0.001). The acoustic variables that correlated best with VHI-10 and LEMG were the standard deviation of the fundamental frequency (ρ = 0.349, P < 0.001) and shimmer (ρ = 0.207, P < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that these measures are, at best, weakly associated. VHI-10 correlated better than LEMG (grade of paresis) to each acoustic voice analysis parameter. However, the maximum correlation coefficient observed was 0.349. Therefore, VHI-10 scores and objective voice acoustic measurements are not useful for predicting the severity of vocal fold movement disorders. Moreover, a given severity of paresis can have different effects on voice handicap and acoustic output in different individuals.