Parameters of the assessment of voice quality and clinical manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis.

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the voice quality parameters in 72 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and their relationships with the clinical manifestations and disease activity. The control group consisted of 30 healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All RA patients were evaluated by extensive clinical, laboratory and radiographic studies. The phoniatric assessment included the analysis of vocal folds vibrations by digital stroboscopy (DS) of the larynx using HRES ENDOCAM 5562 system, digital kymography (DKG) and High-Speed Digital Imaging (HSDI) technique. The acoustic voice analysis was conducted using DiagnoScope Specialist program. RESULTS: Voice quality disorders were registered in 32 (44.44%) RA patients and observed more frequently in patients with moderate and severe activity (DAS28≥3.2) than in mild RA. In digital stroboscopy, confirmed by digital kymography, the hypofunctional dysphonia was observed especially in patients with DAS28≥3.2. Outcomes of the subjective assessment of voice quality were in accordance with the objective parameters and acoustic voice examination. CONCLUSIONS: In RA patients the most frequent voice quality disorders with hypofunctional dysphonia were registered. The relationships between voice quality disorders, clinical activity and radiographic progression of RA patients were observed. Digital stroboscopy, digital kymography, High-Speed Digital Imaging and acoustic voice analysis used in the complex diagnosis of RA confirmed the presence of pathological changes in the larynx. There is a need of cooperation between rheumatologists and phoniatricians in the diagnosis and treatment of dysphonia in RA patients.

Visual assessment of voice disorders in patients with occupational dysphonia.

INTRODUCTION: In a group of persons using the voice occupationally, the frequent symptoms are hoarseness, voice fatigability and aphonia. Pathological changes in the larynx may have organic or functional character which require different methods of treatment and rehabilitation. Visualization of vibrations of the vocal folds is an essential condition for an appropriate assessment of the causes of dysphonia. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is assessment of the usefulness of a high-speed imaging (HSI) system in the diagnosis of functional and organic dysphonia of occupational character, compared with digital kymography (DKG) and digital stroboscopy (DS) with a high resolution module. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 64 patients with voice quality disorders with features of occupational dysphonia. The control group consisted of 15 patients with euphonic voice. Analysis of the voice quality parameters during phonation of the 'e' vowel was performed using HSI, DKG and stroboscopy of high resolution, by means of a digital HS camera (HRES Endocam, Richard Wolf GmbH, Knittlingen, Germany). Vocal folds vibrations were registered at the rate of 4,000 frames per second. RESULTS: HSI is the most reliable diagnostic tool giving the possibility of an analysis of the true vibrations of the vocal folds. It also enables an observation of the aperiodicity of vibrations of the vocal folds, while DS with high resolution allows diagnosis of the periodicity of the vibrations. CONCLUSIONS: HSI is particularly useful in the diagnosis of neurologically-based pathology of the voice (paralytic dysphonia) and organic dysphonia. The quickest method of diagnosing the phonatory paresis of the glottis is DKG. The advantage of both HSI and DKG is the non-invasiveness of examinations; however, their limitations are time-consuming and the high cost of equipment.

[Assessment of speech and linguistic disorders in patients with cochlear implant--preliminary results]. / Ocena mowy i zaburzen jezykowych u chorych z implantem slimakowym--doniesienie wstepne.

UNLABELLED: Cochlear Implant (CI) is the most advanced technical solution in the treatment of profound hearing loss and deafness in patients of all age groups. The aim of the study was to analyse the speech and linguistic disorders in adults with pre- and postlingual deafness rehabilitated with Cochlear implant (CI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: 21 adults with pre- (I group) and postlingual (II group) deafness deriving no benefit from hearing aids participated in this study. Phonatory organ was examined by endoscopy (VLS) and stroboscopy (VLSS). Test of Auditory Perception (TSS) was conducted directly after the activation of speech processor and after rehabilitation. The logopedic assessment before and after CI was based on the examination of motoric activity of articulatory organs, type of respiration, loudness of speech and the assessment of articulation. The linguistic assessment of grammatical and lexical aspect was carried out. The prosodic elements of speech were also analysed. RESULTS: Stroboscopic examination pointed to hypofunction of larynx in patients with prelingual deafness and hyperfunction--in postlingual deafness. The values of TSS were improved after CI, especially in patients with postlingual deafness. The most severe disorders of the efficiency of articulatory organs were observed in patients with prelingual deafness before CI. In the group of prelingually deaf patients disorders of the articulation of vowels and consonants as well as the lexical and grammatical aspect of speech were improved after CI. The correctness of syntax and inflection, development of active vocabulary, improvement of prosodic elements of speech were noticed in patients with postlingual deafness after CI. CONCLUSIONS. Patients with postlingual deafness achieved better results of rehabilitation in auditory perception than prelingually deaf patients. The linguistic improvement of grammatical and lexical aspect was noticed especially in prelingually deaf patients after implantation. This group of patients achieved also the significant progress in prosodic elements of speech in comparison with the results before implantation.