Functional and structural abnormalities of the speech disorders: a multimodal activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis.

Speech disorders are associated with different degrees of functional and structural abnormalities. However, the abnormalities associated with specific disorders, and the common abnormalities shown by all disorders, remain unclear. Herein, a meta-analysis was conducted to integrate the results of 70 studies that compared 1843 speech disorder patients (dysarthria, dysphonia, stuttering, and aphasia) to 1950 healthy controls in terms of brain activity, functional connectivity, gray matter, and white matter fractional anisotropy. The analysis revealed that compared to controls, the dysarthria group showed higher activity in the left superior temporal gyrus and lower activity in the left postcentral gyrus. The dysphonia group had higher activity in the right precentral and postcentral gyrus. The stuttering group had higher activity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and lower activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus. The aphasia group showed lower activity in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus and left superior frontal gyrus. Across the four disorders, there were concurrent lower activity, gray matter, and fractional anisotropy in motor and auditory cortices, and stronger connectivity between the default mode network and frontoparietal network. These findings enhance our understanding of the neural basis of speech disorders, potentially aiding clinical diagnosis and intervention.

Surgical management of vocal cord nodules in children: Trends and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Vocal cord nodules (VCNs) are the most common cause of dysphonia in school-aged children, with potential negative impacts on quality of life including diminished self-esteem and academic performance. The standard of care for VCNs is conservative management which ranges from voice hygiene to speech therapy with a focus on voice otherwise known as voice therapy, with surgical excision reserved for refractory cases. Thus, few studies have analyzed outcomes of surgical management of VCNs. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence and efficacy of surgical excision of VCNs when compared to speech therapy. METHODS: Children with VCNs seen at a single tertiary care institution between 2015 and 2020 were identified by ICD-9 code 478.5 and ICD-10 code J38.2. Demographics, objective voice assessment, intervention, and follow-up assessment data were reviewed. Frequencies, medians, and interquartile ranges were calculated. Time to resolution and improvement were assessed by Cox proportional hazards model. Univariate logistic regression was performed. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty-eight patients diagnosed with VCNs were identified. 169 patients received intervention for VCNs, with 159 (43.2 %) receiving speech therapy alone and 5 (1.4 %) receiving surgery alone. On bivariate analysis, there was no significant difference in demographic features between treatment groups, however speech therapy patients did have a longer follow-up time. 154 patients underwent objective voice assessment at the time of VCN diagnosis. Among these patients, 95 (61.7 %) received speech therapy and 59 (40.3 %) received no intervention. Speech therapy patients had significantly higher pVHI scores, however there was no significant difference in CAPE-V Overall Severity scores or computerized voice assessment analysis. On Cox proportional hazards analysis, surgical intervention was associated with faster resolution and faster improvement of dysphonic symptoms. On binary logistic regression, surgery was associated with a significantly greater proportion of patients reporting resolution of dysphonic symptoms, however there was no significant difference in proportion of patients reporting improvement of dysphonia. CONCLUSION: For most patients with VCNs, conservative measures such as voice hygiene and speech therapy remain first line, however certain patients may benefit from the rapid improvement and resolution of symptoms that surgical intervention may provide.

Clinical effectiveness of telerehabilitation in voice therapy programs for dysphonia.

PURPOSE: The main aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of speech therapy, delivered via tele-practice to patients with dysphonia. A secondary aim was to verify whether a telerehabilitation-only protocol could have a clinical efficacy similar to a combined telerehabilitation and in-person approach. METHODS: Thirty-two consecutive patients undergoing telerehabilitation for dysphonia were retrospectively considered. Patients were divided into two groups: those who received combined in-person and telerehabilitation treatment, and those who underwent telerehabilitation only. RESULTS: Overall, patients included in this study showed a significant improvement in their VHI-10 scores after treatment (p < 0.001). Such an improvement was also significant in both combined therapy and telerehabilitation only groups (p = 0.019, and p = 0.002, respectively). A significant reduction in general degree of dysphonia (G), roughness (R), breathiness (B) and strain (S) scores (p < 0.001, p = 0.012, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively) was noticed over the whole sample after treatment. The same parameters showed a significant improvement also in the combined therapy group, while in the telerehabilitation only group, only G, B and S scores significantly improved. Mean phonation time, Jitter and Shimmer values significantly improved in the overall sample as well as in the combined therapy group. A significantly more favorable spectrographic class relative to the vowel /a/ was found after treatment in the whole sample, as well as in both combined therapy and telerehabilitation only groups (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, p = 0.004, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study's results seem to support telerehabilitation as a potentially effective tool to administer speech therapy in dysphonic patients, both as a single modality and in combination with traditional in-person sessions. To better characterize the clinical results of telerehabilitation in dysphonia treatment, large-scale prospective investigations are mandatory.

Outcomes and predictors of complications of thyroidectomy in a scarce resource setting: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes and predictors of complications of thyroidectomy are diverse and have been extensively studied, but data from our country and other African countries with high disease burdens are limited. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes and predictors of complications of thyroidectomy among operated patients. METHOD: Single institution retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted by reviewing charts from 365 patients who had undergone thyroidectomy on an elective basis between March 2018-February 2022. All patients who were admitted and underwent thyroidectomy were included in this study. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify risk factors. P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULT: Overall, post-thyroidectomy complications occurred in 17 % of the cases. The two most common complications were hypocalcemia and voice change; the latter being due to injury of either external branch of superior laryngeal nerve or recurrent laryngeal nerve with an incidence of 4.9 % and 2.5 % respectively. Thyroidectomy performed by surgical residents and having total thyroidectomy were significantly associated with overall complications of thyroidectomy. Total thyroidectomy was found to be a risk factor for postoperative hypocalcemia (AOR = 12.24 (95%CI: 4.53, 19.65); P = 0.02). Younger age of the patient (AOR =0.3(95%CI, 0.12,0.51)) and prolonged duration of presentation (AOR = 2.53(95%CI, 1.17,7.76)) were detected predictors of voice change due to injury of either external branch of superior laryngeal nerve or recurrent laryngeal nerve. CONCLUSION: The rate of thyroidectomy complications is relatively similar to other studies. In this study demographic and clinical factors associated with increased risk of complications after thyroid surgery were identified. This information will be useful for educating patients about the risks of thyroid surgery.

Incidence and risk factors for secondary extralaryngeal dystonia in patients with laryngeal dystonia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is a focal dystonia affecting adductor and/or abductor muscles of the larynx. It can be isolated or may spread to extra laryngeal muscles. The aim of this study was to report the characteristics of LD over time in a large single-center study with a long follow-up. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with LD referred to our institution between 1991 and 2021. Demographic data, time to diagnosis, type of LD, follow-up and spread of dystonia [SD] were recorded. Risk factors for spread of dystonia during follow-up were analyzed. RESULTS: Over the 30-year period, 516 patients (77.3 % female, median age 50 years, range 5-87 years) were analyzed. Three hundred and fifteen patients (61 %) had adduction laryngeal dystonia, 136 patients (26.4 %) had abduction laryngeal dystonia, 46 patients (8.9 %) had adductor respiratory laryngeal dystonia, 12 patients (2.3 %) had mixed laryngeal dystonia, and seven patients (1.4 %) had singer's laryngeal dystonia. A previous history of dystonia was found in 47 patients (9.1 %). A laryngeal tremor was found in 68 patients (13.2 %). Since the onset of symptoms, LD was diagnosed after a median of 3 years (IQR: 1.0, 7.0). SD occurred in 55 patients (10.7 %) after a median time of 4 year (IQR: 1.5, 13.0). Patients with mixed laryngeal dystonia had higher probability of SD (p = 0.018). DISCUSSION: This study reports a large European study of LD, with a long follow-up. SD occurred in 10.5 % of patients. Patients with mixed laryngeal dystonia had a higher probability of SD. A close follow-up may be recommended for patients with mixed laryngeal dystonia.

Comparison of the efficacy and adverse effects of unilateral or bilateral botulinum toxin injections for adductor spasmodic dysphonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aims to aggregate and analyze existing clinical evidence to compare the efficacy and adverse effects of unilateral or bilateral botulinum toxin injections for the treatment of adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD). METHODS: Reports from non-randomized controlled trials and cohort studies pertaining to the efficacy and adverse effects of unilateral and bilateral botulinum toxin injections for ADSD were identified and retrieved from four electronic databases from inception to July 2023. The meta-analysis employed fixed or random effects models to assess pooled relative risks (RR), mean differences (MDs), and standard mean differences (SMDs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: We included two non-randomized controlled trials and seven cohort studies comprising 854 total patients. Meta-analysis of the included studies showed that bilateral botulinum toxin injections associated with a longer duration of vocal improvement (MD = - 2.89, 95% CI - 3.13 to - 2.65, I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001). However, bilateral botulinum toxin injections associated with an increase in adverse effects, including a longer duration of breathy voice quality (SMD = - 0.51, 95% CI - 0.79 to - 0.22, I2 = 35%, P = 0.0005) and a higher occurrence of swallowing difficulties (RR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.11, I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: Bilateral botulinum toxin injections for ADSD showed a longer duration of vocal improvement, a longer breathy voice duration and a higher dysphagia occurrence and duration than unilateral injections.

Machine learning based estimation of hoarseness severity using sustained vowelsa).

Auditory perceptual evaluation is considered the gold standard for assessing voice quality, but its reliability is limited due to inter-rater variability and coarse rating scales. This study investigates a continuous, objective approach to evaluate hoarseness severity combining machine learning (ML) and sustained phonation. For this purpose, 635 acoustic recordings of the sustained vowel /a/ and subjective ratings based on the roughness, breathiness, and hoarseness scale were collected from 595 subjects. A total of 50 temporal, spectral, and cepstral features were extracted from each recording and used to identify suitable ML algorithms. Using variance and correlation analysis followed by backward elimination, a subset of relevant features was selected. Recordings were classified into two levels of hoarseness, H<2 and H≥2, yielding a continuous probability score y∈[0,1]. An accuracy of 0.867 and a correlation of 0.805 between the model's predictions and subjective ratings was obtained using only five acoustic features and logistic regression (LR). Further examination of recordings pre- and post-treatment revealed high qualitative agreement with the change in subjectively determined hoarseness levels. Quantitatively, a moderate correlation of 0.567 was obtained. This quantitative approach to hoarseness severity estimation shows promising results and potential for improving the assessment of voice quality.

Intensive Voice Treatment following Botulinum Neurotoxin Injection for a Speaker with Abductor Laryngeal Dystonia: An Exploratory Case Study.

Abductor laryngeal dystonia (ABLD) is a rare neurological voice disorder which results in sporadic opening of the vocal folds during speech. Etiology is unknown, and to date there is no identified effective behavioral treatment for it. It is hypothesized that LSVT LOUD®, which was developed to treat dysphonia secondary to Parkinson's disease, may have application to speakers with ABLD to improve outcomes beyond that with botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) treatment alone. The participant received one injection of BoNT in each vocal fold 2 to 3 months prior to initiating intensive voice therapy via teletherapy. Objective measures of vocal loudness (dB sound pressure level), maximum phonation time, and high/low pitch frequency (Hz) were recorded in all treatment sessions and follow-up sessions. Over the course of treatment, the participant showed steady gains in phonation time, volume, pitch range, and vocal quality with a substantial reduction in aphonic voice breaks by the end of the treatment program. Perceptual symptoms of ABLD were nearly undetectable by the participant and the clinicians up to 12 months posttreatment, with no additional BoNT injections. The results suggest that LSVT LOUD® following BoNT was effective, with long-lasting improvement in vocal function, for this speaker with ABLD.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Supraglottis Presenting as Hoarseness.

Hoarseness is a well-known condition in primary care offices, with over 1% of primary care visits secondary to this ailment.1 The most common causes are acute laryngitis (40%), functional dysphonia (30%), benign and malignant tumors (2.2 to 30%), neurogenic factors such as vocal cord paralysis (8%), physiological aging (2%), and psychogenic factors (2.2%). Most of these cases are secondary to viral infections and do not require antibiotics on most occasions. These viral infections subside after 1 to 2 weeks, and in the case of persistent hoarseness (above 4 weeks) the American Academy of Otolaryngology recommends direct visualization with a laryngoscopy before treatment with proton pump inhibitors, antibiotics, or steroids. Our patient presented with prolonged hoarseness (greater than eight weeks) but had a quick turn around time interval between primary care visit and laryngoscopy evaluation (less than 2 weeks). This led to her diagnosis and treatment with chemo and radiation therapy within three months of diagnosis with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Supraglottis. The Primary care physician serves as the number one point of visitation by sufferers of hoarseness. It is important that they are knowledgeable and up to date with recommendations and guidelines for managing this condition, as unwarranted delay can affect overall outcome on the part of the patient. This is especially important in patients such as ours with high risk factors including Nicotine dependence, alcohol use, asbestos exposure, and HPV infection.

La voix rauque est une condition bien connue dans les cabinets de soins primaires, avec plus de 1 % des visites en soins primaires dues à ce problème. Les causes les plus courantes sont la laryngite aiguë (40%), la dysphonie fonctionnelle (30 %), les tumeurs bénignes et malignes (2,2 à 30 %), les facteurs neurogènes tels que la paralysie des cordes vocales (8 %), le vieillissement physiologique (2 %) et les facteurs psychogènes (2,2 %). La plupart de ces cas sont dus à des infections virales et ne nécessitent pas d'antibiotiques dans la plupart des cas. Ces infections virales disparaissent après 1 à 2 semaines, et en cas de voix rauque persistante (plus de 4 semaines), l'American Academy of Otolaryngology recommande une visualisation directe avec une laryngoscopie avant le traitement par inhibiteurs de la pompe à protons, antibiotiques ou stéroïdes. Notre patiente présentait une voix rauque prolongée (plus de huit semaines), mais a bénéficié d'un délai rapide entre la visite en soins primaires et l'évaluation par laryngoscopie (moins de 2 semaines). Cela a conduit à son diagnostic et à son traitement par chimiothérapie et radiothérapie dans les trois mois suivant le diagnostic de carcinome épidermoïde du supraglotte. Le médecin de soins primaires est le premier point de visite pour les personnes souffrant de voix rauque. Il est important qu'ils soient informés et à jour des recommandations et des lignes directrices pour la prise en charge de cette condition, car un retard non justifié peut affecter le résultat global pour le patient. Ceci est particulièrement important chez les patients comme le nôtre présentant des facteurs de risque élevés, y compris la dépendance à la nicotine, la consommation d'alcool, l'exposition à l'amiante. MOTS-CLÉS: Laryngoscopie, Supraglotte, Larynx, Enrouement.

Perceptions of employability related to severity of hypernasality: a pilot study.

The primary aim of this investigation was to evaluate listener auditory-perceptual assessment of employability for individuals with hypernasal speech. Using an online survey platform, listeners with managerial experience evaluated speech samples from individuals with varying hypernasal resonance disorder severity to determine auditory-perceptual judgements regarding intelligence and employability. Speech samples of individuals with hypernasal speech were rated lower on scales of intelligence and employability, and more likely to be selected for jobs with infrequent rates of communication and lower levels of responsibility. Additionally, males with hypernasal speech were perceived as less intelligent, less employable, and more likely to be selected for a job with infrequent communication in comparison to females with hypernasal speech. Results of this preliminary investigation suggest that individuals with hypernasal speech may face employment barriers. The conclusions collected from this initial investigation open the doors for further research addressing linguistic considerations and aspects of employability. This is an important consideration for individuals with either acquired or congenitally related hypernasal resonance disorder.

The feasibility of using acoustic measures for predicting the Total Opacity Scores of chest computed tomography scans in patients with COVID-19.

To study the possibility of using acoustic parameters, i.e., Acoustic Voice Quality Index (AVQI) and Maximum Phonation Time (MPT) for predicting the degree of lung involvement in COVID-19 patients. This cross-sectional case-control study was conducted on the voice samples collected from 163 healthy individuals and 181 patients with COVID-19. Each participant produced a sustained vowel/a/, and a phonetically balanced Persian text containing 36 syllables. AVQI and MPT were measured using Praat scripts. Each patient underwent a non-enhanced chest computed tomographic scan and the Total Opacity score was rated to assess the degree of lung involvement. The results revealed significant differences between patients with COVID-19 and healthy individuals in terms of AVQI and MPT. A significant difference was also observed between male and female participants in AVQI and MPT. The results from the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and area under the curve indicated that MPT (0.909) had higher diagnostic accuracy than AVQI (0.771). A significant relationship was observed between AVQI and TO scores. In the case of MPT, however, no such relationship was observed. The findings indicated that MPT was a better classifier in differentiating patients from healthy individuals, in comparison with AVQI. The results also showed that AVQI can be used as a predictor of the degree of patients' and recovered individuals' lung involvement. A formula is suggested for calculating the degree of lung involvement using AVQI.

Prevalence and recovery of dysphonia in COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care treatment.

BACKGROUND: Dysphonia and laryngeal pathology are considerable issues in patients hospitalised with COVID-19 with prevalence rates cited between 29% and 79%. Most studies currently are limited to reporting single-institution data with many retrospective. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to prospectively explore the following: (i) prevalence; (ii) treatment; and (iii) recovery pattern and outcomes for dysphonia, in patients with COVID-19 requiring intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. METHODS: Patients admitted to 26 ICUs over 12 months, diagnosed with COVID-19, treated for survival, and seen by speech-language pathology for clinical voice assessment were considered. Demographic, medical, speech-language pathology treatment, and voice outcome data (grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, strain [GRBAS]) were collected on initial consultation and continuously monitored throughout the hospital admission. FINDINGS: Two-hundred and thirty five participants (63% male, median age = 58 yrs) were recruited. Median mechanical ventilation duration and ICU and hospital lengths of stay (LOSs) were 16, 20, and 42 days, respectively. Dysphonia prevalence was 72% (170/235), with 22% (38/170) exhibiting profound impairment (GRBAS score = 3). Of those with dysphonia, rehabilitation was provided in 32% (54/170) cases, with dysphonia recovery by hospital discharge observed in 66% (112/170, median duration = 35 days [interquartile range = 21-61 days]). Twenty-five percent (n = 42) of patients underwent nasendoscopy: oedema (40%, 17/42), granuloma (31%, 13/42), and vocal fold palsy/paresis (26%, 11/42). Presence of dysphonia was inversely associated with the number of intubations (p = 0.002), intubation duration (p = 0.037), ICU LOS (p = 0.003), and hospital LOS (p = 0.009). Conversely, duration of dysphonia was positively associated with the number of intubations (p = 0.012), durations of intubation (p = 0.000), tracheostomy (p = 0.004), mechanical ventilation (p = 0.000), ICU LOS (p = 0.000), and hospital LOS (p = 0.000). More severe dysphonia was associated with younger age (p = 0.045). Proning was not associated with presence (p = 0.075), severity (p = 0.164), or duration (p = 0.738) of dysphonia. CONCLUSIONS: Dysphonia and laryngeal pathology are common in critically ill patients with COVID-19 and are associated with younger age and protracted recovery in those with longer critical care interventions.

Perceptual and qualitative voice alterations detected by GIRBAS in patients with Parkinson's disease: is there a relation with lung function and oxygenation?

BACKGROUND: Impairments in respiration, voice and speech are common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD). AIMS: To evaluate the prevalence of dysphonia, assessed by a specific acoustic evaluation and description of the voice by the speech therapist (GIRBAS), and its relation with lung function and oxygenation, in particular cough ability and during the night or exercise desaturation. METHODS: This is a posthoc analysis of a prospective cross-sectional observational study on PD patients collecting anthropometric and clinical data, comorbidities, PD severity, motor function and balance, respiratory function at rest, during exercise and at night, voice function with acoustic analysis and presence of speech disorders, in addition to the GIRBAS scale. Based on GIRBAS Global dysphonia ('G') score, we divided patients into dysphonic (moderate-to-severe deviance from the euphonic condition) vs. no/mild dysphonic and analyzed the relations with respiratory impairments. RESULTS: We analyzed 55 patients and found significant impairments in both respiratory and voice/speech functions. Most patients (85.5%) presented mild-to-severe deviance from the euphonic condition in at least one GIRBAS perceptual element (80% of cases for Global dysphonia) and only 14.5% did not show deviance in all elements simultaneously. At Odds Ratio analysis, the risk of presenting nocturnal desaturation and reduced peak cough expiratory flow was approximately 24 and 8 times higher, respectively, in dysphonic patients vs. those with no/mild dysphonia. CONCLUSION: Perceptual and qualitative evaluation of the voice with GIRBAS showed that mild-to-severe dysphonia was highly prevalent in PD patients, and associated with nocturnal oxygen desaturation and poor cough ability.

Persistent Features of Laryngeal Injury Following Endotracheal Intubation: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review examined (i) prevalence, severity, and impact of persistent post-extubation laryngeal injury beyond hospital discharge and (ii) differences in persistent laryngeal injury between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 populations. The review was completed following PRISMA-2020 guidelines. Four databases (PubMed, CINHAL complete, EMBASE, Web of Science) were searched (inception to March 2021). Screening, full text review and data extraction were completed by two reviewers. Primary outcomes were swallow, voice and cough and airway measures obtained after hospital discharge. Quality assessment was measured using Downs & Black Tool and Johanna Briggs Institute Checklist for Cohort Studies. Meta-analysis was not completed due to study heterogeneity. Six cohort studies were included. Total number of participants across the included studies was 436. ICU admission diagnoses included respiratory disease 46% (COVID-19 and non-COVID-19), sepsis 14%, non-sepsis-related organ dysfunction 9%, general medical 11%, general surgical 10%, trauma 2%, ENT 0.6% and other not specified by authors 7%. Outcomes were obtained between 2 and 60 months post hospital discharge. Assessment methods included endoscopic evaluation, clinician ratings and patient-reported outcomes. Persistent features of laryngeal injury identified were airway abnormalities (18.9-27%), dysphonia (13.2-60%) and dysphagia (23-33%). Persistent laryngeal injury was associated with ICU length of stay, respiratory diagnosis and tracheostomy. Study quality ranged from poor-good. This is the first systematic review to examine post-extubation laryngeal injury beyond hospital discharge. Significant gaps in the literature were identified. Given the impact on clinical and patient outcomes, large scale, well-designed research is needed to guide post-ICU service delivery.

The effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on muscle activity pattern in professional voice users with muscle tension dysphonia using surface electromyography data: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: Muscle Tension Dysphonia is a voice disorder, which results in stiffness in the laryngeal extrinsic muscles, intense collision, painful contractions, and vibrations of the vocal cords. Due to the multifactorial identity of Muscle Tension Dysphonia, its therapeutic approach must be multidisciplinary. METHODS: The participants were divided into two groups: a control group (5participants) that received Circumlaryngeal Manual Therapy (CMT) + Placebo Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and an experimental group (5participants) that received Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation + CMT. Both groups received 10 sessions of treatment, twice a week, for 40 min each. Before and after treatment, participants were assessed using the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and surface electromyography for their ability to sustain the vowels /e& u/and count from 20 to30. RESULT: After therapy, there were substantial improvements in the DSI (2.72 ± 0.55, P < 0.05) and muscle electrical activity in the control group. The DSI (3.66 ± 0.63, P < 0.05) and muscle electrical activity were also significantly improved in the experimental group after treatment. The findings of the between-group comparison after treatment revealed a significantly greater increase in the Dysphonia Severity Index in the experimental group compared with the control group (P = 0.037). Although there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of muscle electrical activity, clinically significant changes were more noticeable in the experimental group when compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Positive results were seen in both groups. The results demonstrate that both approaches relax vocal tract muscles. As a result, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation was recommended as a complementary treatment for clients with Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

Persistent subjective voice symptoms for two years after thyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Voice change after thyroidectomy is an important issue in thyroid surgery. However, little is known about long-term voice outcomes after thyroidectomy. This study investigates the long-term voice outcomes of thyroidectomy up to two years after surgery. Also, we analyzed the pattern of recovery through acoustic tests over time. METHODS: We reviewed data from 168 patients who underwent thyroidectomy between January 2020 and August 2020 at a single institution. The Thyroidectomy-related Voice and Symptom Questionnaire (TVSQ) score and acoustic voice analysis results were examined preoperatively and postoperative one, three, and six months, and one and two years after surgery. We divided patients into two groups based on the TVSQ score (≥15 or <15) at two years postoperatively. We investigated the difference of acoustic characteristics between the two groups and analyzed correlations between acoustic parameters and various clinical and surgical factors. RESULTS: Voice parameters tended to recover, but some parameters and TVSQ scores exhibited deterioration two years after surgery. In the subgroups, among the many clinicopathologic factors examined, voice abuse history including professional voice users (p = 0.014), greater extent of thyroidectomy and neck dissection (p = 0.019, p = 0.029), and high pitch voice (F0; p = 0.005, SFF; p = 0.016) were associated with high TVSQ score at two years. CONCLUSIONS: Patients frequently experience voice discomfort after thyroidectomy. After surgery, voice abuse history including professional voice users, greater extent of surgery, and higher pitch voice are associated with worse voice quality and increased risk of persistent voice symptoms over the long-term.

The role of patient perceptions and hyperfunctional voice disorders in predicting voice therapy attendance.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Attendance is essential to voice therapy's effectiveness in the treatment of voice and laryngeal disorders. With such high rates of drop-out and non-attendance, it is important to understand the factors that influence this behavior. This study sought to identify potential predictors of attendance to voice therapy at an interdisciplinary voice clinic. STUDY DESIGN: Single-institution retrospective cohort study. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients evaluated at an interdisciplinary voice clinic who received a referral for voice therapy were identified. Age, gender, voice-related diagnoses, Voice Handicap Index-10 scores, Reflux Symptom Index scores, and measures of patient perceptions (self-rated severity, importance of voice in one's life, and "feelings about voice therapy") were recorded to evaluate associations with attendance to at least one therapy session. Standard statistical analysis and logistic regressions were performed. RESULTS: Of 168 subjects included, 111 (66.1 %) attended at least one session of voice therapy. Patients diagnosed with primary hyperfunctional voice disorders had a significantly higher attendance rate than other groups. Attenders had higher self-ratings of severity and more positive "feelings about voice therapy" compared to non-attenders. Regression models found three significant predictors of therapy attendance: primary diagnosis of hyperfunctional voice disorder, self-rated severity, and "feelings about voice therapy." CONCLUSION: In this cohort, patients with more positive feelings about voice therapy, higher self-rated severity, and a diagnosis of primary hyperfunctional voice disorder were more likely to attend voice therapy.

COVID-related dysphonia and persistent long-COVID voice sequelae: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Dysphonia is a common symptom due to the coronavirus disease of the 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Nonetheless, it is often underestimated for its impact on human's health. We conducted this first study to investigate the global prevalence of COVID-related dysphonia as well as related clinical factors during acute COVID-19 infection, and after a mid- to long-term follow-up following the recovery. METHODS: Five electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were systematically searched for relevant articles until Dec, 2022, and the reference of the enrolled studies were also reviewed. Dysphonia prevalence during and after COVID-19 infection, and voice-related clinical factors were analyzed; the random-effects model was adopted for meta-analysis. The one-study-removal method was used for sensitivity analysis. Publication bias was determined with funnel plots and Egger's tests. RESULTS: Twenty-one articles comprising 13,948 patients were identified. The weighted prevalence of COVID-related dysphonia during infection was 25.1 % (95 % CI: 14.9 to 39.0 %), and male was significantly associated with lower dysphonia prevalence (coefficients: -0.116, 95 % CI: -0.196 to -0.036; P = .004) during this period. Besides, after recovery, the weighted prevalence of COVID-related dysphonia declined to 17.1 % (95 % CI: 11.0 to 25.8 %). 20.1 % (95 % CI: 8.6 to 40.2 %) of the total patients experienced long-COVID dysphonia. CONCLUSIONS: A quarter of the COVID-19 patients, especially female, suffered from voice impairment during infection, and approximately 70 % of these dysphonic patients kept experiencing long-lasting voice sequelae, which should be noticed by global physicians.

Management of compression symptoms of thyroid goiters: Hemithyroidectomy is equally as successful as total thyroidectomy.

PURPOSE: Patients with thyroid goiters and compressive symptoms are treated with surgery. The adequate extent of this surgery for these cases remains unclear. In the current study, we analyze the effect of surgery, total thyroidectomy versus hemithyroidectomy, on the resolution of various compressive symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective analysis utilized the TriNetX Research Network to recognize adults with thyroid goiters treated surgically. International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD10) was used to identify patients. Two groups were created based on surgical treatment, for either a hemithyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy. The primary outcomes were compression symptoms, including dysphagia, choking/globus sensation, dyspnea, cough, and hoarseness/dysphonia. RESULTS: This retrospective review included 45,539 subjects. Of these, 9293 had a partial thyroidectomy, and 36,246 had a total thyroidectomy. After propensity score matching was done for compression symptoms before surgery, there were 8280 patients in each group. There were no differences in symptoms between the matched groups, except for increased hoarseness and dysphonia after total thyroidectomy (RR, 95 % CI) (0.781, 0.67-0.91). Compression symptoms significantly decreased after surgical treatment in both the hemithyroidectomy and total thyroidectomy groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hemithyroidectomy is associated with efficacy similar to total thyroidectomy in reducing compression symptoms postoperatively. Hemithyroidectomy may be able to alleviate compressive symptoms with less surgical risk.

The comparison between vocal facilitating techniques, manual circumlaryngeal therapy, and combined voice therapy in teachers with muscle tension dysphonia: a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE: Although voice therapy (VT) has been known effective in muscle tension dysphonia (MTD), it is not obviously clear which VT approach is more effective. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Vocal Facilitating Techniques (VFTs), Manual Circumlaryngeal Therapy (MCT), and combined VT in teachers with MTD. METHODS: This study was a double-blind parallel randomized clinical trial. Thirty elementary female teachers with MTD were divided into three treatment groups including VFTs; MCT, and combined VT. In addition, vocal hygiene was presented to all groups. All participants received 10 individual 45-min sessions of VT twice a week. The effectiveness was assessed using Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) scale and Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) before and after treatment and improvement measurement was calculated. The participants and data analyzer were blinded to the type of VT. RESULTS: All groups showed significantly better results on the subscales of VTD scale and DSI score after VT (p ≤ 0.001; η2 ≥ 0.90). There was a significant difference between the three groups on the results of VTD scale and DSI score (p ≤ 0.05). The improvement measurement on the VTD severity subscale and DSI score following the combined VT was the greatest compared with other groups (η2 = 0.99 and 0.98, respectively). The significant interactive effect of treatment and time was observed on the VTD severity subscale and DSI score (p < 0.05; η2 ≥ 0.56). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the VFTs, MCT, and combined VT were effective for MTD teachers, and the combined VT is the most effective one. It seems the combination of different approaches is recommended for the VT of MTD patients.