Predicting Dysphonia by Measuring Surface Electromyographic Activity of the Supralaryngeal Muscles.

PURPOSE: This study set out to investigate whether individuals with dysphonia, as determined by either self-assessment or clinician-based auditory-perceptual judgment, exhibited differences in perilaryngeal muscle activities using surface electromyography (sEMG) during various phonatory tasks. Additionally, the study aimed to assess the effectiveness of sEMG in identifying dysphonic cases. METHOD: A total of 77 adults (44 women, 33 men, Mage = 30.4 years) participated in this study, with dysphonic cases identified separately using either a 10-item Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10) or clinician-based auditory-perceptual voice quality (APVQ) evaluation. sEMG activities were measured from the areas of suprahyoid and sternocleidomastoid muscles during prolonged vowel /i/ phonations at different pitch and loudness levels. Normalized root-mean-square value against the maximal voluntary contraction (RMS %MVC) of the sEMG signals was obtained for each phonation and compared between subject groups and across phonatory tasks. Additionally, binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine how the sEMG measures could predict the VHI-10-based or APVQ-based dysphonic cases. RESULTS: Participants who scored above the criteria on either the VHI-10 (n = 29) or APVQ judgment (n = 17) exhibited significantly higher RMS %MVC in the right suprahyoid muscles compared to the corresponding control groups. Although the RMS %MVC value from the right suprahyoid muscles alone was not a significant predictor of self-evaluated dysphonic cases, a combination of the RMS %MVC values from both the right and left suprahyoid muscles significantly predicted APVQ-based dysphonic cases with a 69.66% fair level. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that individuals with dysphonia, as determined by either self-assessment or APVQ judgment, displayed more imbalanced suprahyoid muscle activities in voice production compared to nondysphonic groups. The combination of the sEMG measures from both left and right suprahyoid muscles showed potential as a predictor of dysphonia with a fair level of confidence. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25112804.

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.

Multitask and Transfer Learning Approach for Joint Classification and Severity Estimation of Dysphonia.

OBJECTIVE: Despite speech being the primary communication medium, it carries valuable information about a speaker's health, emotions, and identity. Various conditions can affect the vocal organs, leading to speech difficulties. Extensive research has been conducted by voice clinicians and academia in speech analysis. Previous approaches primarily focused on one particular task, such as differentiating between normal and dysphonic speech, classifying different voice disorders, or estimating the severity of voice disorders. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This study proposes an approach that combines transfer learning and multitask learning (MTL) to simultaneously perform dysphonia classification and severity estimation. Both tasks use a shared representation; network is learned from these shared features. We employed five computer vision models and changed their architecture to support multitask learning. Additionally, we conducted binary 'healthy vs. dysphonia' and multiclass 'healthy vs. organic and functional dysphonia' classification using multitask learning, with the speaker's sex as an auxiliary task. RESULTS: The proposed method achieved improved performance across all classification metrics compared to single-task learning (STL), which only performs classification or severity estimation. Specifically, the model achieved F1 scores of 93% and 90% in MTL and STL, respectively. Moreover, we observed considerable improvements in both classification tasks by evaluating beta values associated with the weight assigned to the sex-predicting auxiliary task. MTL achieved an accuracy of 77% compared to the STL score of 73.2%. However, the performance of severity estimation in MTL was comparable to STL. CONCLUSION: Our goal is to improve how voice pathologists and clinicians understand patients' conditions, make it easier to track their progress, and enhance the monitoring of vocal quality and treatment procedures. Clinical and Translational Impact Statement: By integrating both classification and severity estimation of dysphonia using multitask learning, we aim to enable clinicians to gain a better understanding of the patient's situation, effectively monitor their progress and voice quality.

The efficiency of the DoctorVox voice therapy technique in conversion dysphonia and aphonia.

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficiency of DoctorVox voice therapy in psychogenic dysphonia or aphonia patients, and to share the mid- to long-term results of the method. METHODS: The study was carried out on patients who underwent DoctorVox voice therapy for psychogenic dysphonia or aphonia between January 2015 and September 2019. The evaluation methods used were: the Voice Handicap Index-10; the grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia and strain ('GRBAS') scale; and videolaryngostroboscopy recordings. RESULTS: The mean Voice Handicap Index-10 values of the patients were 30.91 ± 2.97 before treatment, 8.14 ± 3.82 after treatment, and 3.36 ± 1.78 in the final follow-up examination. The grade, roughness, breathiness, asthenia and strain scale scores were: 9 ± 0.67 pre-treatment, 0.78 ± 0.80 post-treatment, and 0.57 ± 0.64 at the final follow up. CONCLUSION: DoctorVox voice therapy seems to be an efficient treatment method for psychogenic dysphonia or aphonia; it helps develop phonatory muscle functions, using multidimensional biofeedback mechanisms, and increases the patients' therapy adherence.

Acoustic and Physiologic Correlates of Vocal Effort in Individuals With and Without Primary Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine relationships between vocal effort and (a) acoustic correlates of vocal output and (b) supraglottic compression in individuals with primary muscle tension dysphonia (pMTD) and without voice disorders (controls) in the context of a vocal load challenge. METHOD: Twenty-six individuals with pMTD and 35 vocally healthy controls participated in a 30-min vocal load challenge. The pre- and postload relationships among self-ratings of vocal effort, various acoustic voice measures, and supraglottic compression (mediolateral and anteroposterior) were tested with multiple regression models and post hoc Pearson's correlations. Acoustic measures included cepstral peak prominence (CPP), low-to-high spectral ratio, difference in intensity between the first two harmonics, fundamental frequency, and sound pressure level (dB SPL). RESULTS: Regression models for CPP and mediolateral compression were statistically significant. Vocal effort, diagnosis of pMTD, and vocal demand were each significant variables influencing CPP measures. CPP was lower in the pMTD group across stages. There was no statistical change in CPP following the vocal load challenge within either group, but both groups had an increase in vocal effort postload. Vocal effort and diagnosis influenced the mediolateral compression model. Mediolateral compression was higher in the pMTD group across stages and had a negative relationship with vocal effort, but it did not differ after vocal loading. CONCLUSIONS: CPP and mediolateral supraglottic compression were influenced by vocal effort and diagnosis of pMTD. Increased vocal effort was associated with lower CPP, particularly after vocal load, and decreased mediolateral supraglottic compression in the pMTD group.

Indications and Short-Term Outcomes for In-Office Therapeutic Superior Laryngeal Nerve Block.

OBJECTIVE: Superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) block consists of injection of steroid and anesthetic at the internal branch of the SLN entry site. Prior case series have demonstrated beneficial effects on neurogenic cough. SLN blocks have also recently shown benefit for paralaryngeal pain. We describe short-term outcomes for multiple symptoms of irritable larynx syndrome (ILS) including neurogenic cough, dysphonia related to laryngeal hypersensitivity, inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO), paralaryngeal pain, and isolated globus. METHODS: Retrospective review from 2 institutions of patients undergoing a single SLN block for the indications listed. Variables include age, sex, indication(s), known vagus neuropathy, and patient-reported outcomes at short-term follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 209 patients were included (59 males, 150 females; age: 58 ± 13 years). Twenty-six patients (12%) had a history of a vagus nerve injury. Indications included neurogenic cough (n = 149), dysphonia related to laryngeal hypersensitivity (n = 66), paralaryngeal pain (n = 50), ILO (n = 23), and isolated globus (n = 3). Some patients had multiple indications. Significant improvements in patient-reported measures occurred after a single SLN block within 2 to 4 weeks for neurogenic cough (cough severity index; 25.2 ± 11.2 to 19.0 ± 12.8; P < .001), dysphonia (voice handicap index-10; 22.1 ± 12.2-18.0 ± 13.3; P = .005), and ILO (dyspnea index; 21.0 ± 14.9-14.7 ± 15.7; P = .017). Subjective pain improved in 23 of 39 patients with paralaryngeal pain. There was no observed improvement for isolated globus. Presence of known vagal neuropathy or therapy around the time of SLN block did not affect outcome. CONCLUSION: SLN block can be an effective component of treatment for a variety of ILS symptoms. Patients may experience some improvement after 1 injection. LAY SUMMARY: Symptoms of irritable larynx syndrome, such as neurogenic cough, paralaryngeal pain, inducible laryngeal obstruction, and dysphonia related to laryngeal hypersensitivity can be challenging to manage. In-office Superior Laryngeal Nerve blocks can serve as a quick, well tolerated, adjunctive treatment with positive short-term outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Risk of fibromyalgia in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia: a possible local manifestation of a musculoskeletal systemic disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk of fibromyalgia in patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients with primary muscle tension dysphonia, diagnosed based on history of dysphonia with evidence of laryngeal muscle tension on examination. Fibromyalgia was assessed using the Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool ('FiRST'). RESULTS: Fifty patients were enrolled: 25 with primary muscle tension dysphonia (study group) and 25 matched controls. The mean age of the study group was 50.7 ± 15.2 years versus 49.5 ± 18.6 years for the controls, with a male to female ratio of 3:2 for both groups. Fifty-six per cent tested positive for fibromyalgia in the study group versus 4 per cent in the controls (p < 0.001). The mean Voice Handicap Index 10 score in the study group was significantly higher for those who screened positive for fibromyalgia compared to those who screened negative. There was a positive, strong point-biserial correlation between Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool and Voice Handicap Index 10 scores (r = 0.39; p = 0.09). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that fibromyalgia is a significant co-morbid condition in primary muscle tension dysphonia.

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.

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.

Distúrbio de voz e fatores de risco em profissionais da voz falada: uma revisão integrativa / Voice disorder and risk factors in spoken voice professionals: an integrative review

RESUMO Objetivo Identificar evidências científicas sobre o distúrbio de voz relacionado ao trabalho e fatores de risco, além de apontar os sintomas vocais, instrumentos e métodos de avaliação em profissionais da voz falada. Estratégia de pesquisa Revisão integrativa da literatura, realizada nas bases de dados LILACS, SciELO, MEDLINE/PubMed e Scopus. Critérios de seleção Artigos com profissionais da voz falada, que abordassem os fatores de riscos individuais, organizacionais e/ou ambientais vinculados aos sintomas e/ou distúrbios de voz, estudos observacionais, disponíveis na íntegra, sem restrição ao idioma e ano de publicação. Resultados Foram incluídos 58 estudos, maior publicação entre os anos de 2014 e 2022, predominantemente no Brasil, em destaque, o professor. O método de avaliação mais utilizado foi autoavaliação com o uso dos protocolos, seguido da avaliação perceptivo-auditiva e do exame laringológico. Os fatores de risco mais identificados foram os individuais, seguidos dos organizacionais e ambientais, além de terem sido relatados os sintomas vocais sensoriais e auditivos. Conclusão Os fatores mais autorreferidos são ruído, uso intenso da voz, alterações respiratórias, ser do gênero feminino e práticas vocais inadequadas. Quanto aos sintomas vocais sensoriais, destacam-se garganta seca, pigarro e fadiga vocal, e quanto aos auditivos, rouquidão.

ABSTRACT Purpose To identify scientific evidence about (Work-Related Voice Disorder) and risk factors, as well as to point out vocal symptoms, instruments and evaluation methods in spoken voice professionals. Research strategy Integrative literature review carried out in LILACS, SciELO, MEDLINE/PubMed and Scopus databases. Selection criteria Articles with spoken voice professionals, which addressed individual, organizational and/or environmental risk factors linked to symptoms and/or voice disorders, observational studies, fully available, without restriction to language and year of publication. Results 58 papers were included, the largest publication between the years 2014 and 2022, predominantly in Brazil, with emphasis on the teacher. The most used evaluation method was vocal assessment using self-assessment protocols, followed by auditory-perceptual assessment and laryngological examination. The mostly identified risk factors were individual ones, followed by organizational and environmental ones, in addition to sensory and auditory vocal symptoms having been reported. Conclusion The most often self-reported factors were noise, intense voice use, respiratory changes, being female and inappropriate vocal practices. For sensory vocal symptoms, dry throat, throat clearing and vocal fatigue stand out, and for auditory symptoms, hoarseness.

Comparing dysphonia severity index, objective, subjective, and perceptual analysis of voice in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND: Impairments in voice quality in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have recently been investigated and different results were found. A voice-centered multidimensional assessment protocol with patient-reported outcome measures was conducted to evaluate all the aspects of the voice changes. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to compare the objective, subjective, and perceptual measures of voice between the people with MS and the healthy control group. METHODS: A total of 128 participants, including 64 people with MS age, and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Subjective, objective, and auditory-perceptual voice assessments of the participants were performed. The auditory-perceptual evaluation was performed with GRBAS. The Dysphonia Severity index was computed for both groups. All the participants completed the Turkish version of The Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) and the Voice-Related Quality of Life (VRQoL). RESULTS: Acoustic and aerodynamic parameters of voice were found significantly different for both males and females between the MS and control group. DSI was found significantly different for both males and females in the MS group compared to the control group (p<0.05). All components of the GRBAS scale were significantly higher in the MS group (p<0.001). Using a multivariate regression model, it was determined that age, gender, EDSS score, number of MS attacks, and disease duration did not affect the DSI. The overall VHI-10 score was higher in the MS group (median=1.0 range= 0-28) and lower in the control group (median=0 range= 0-4). The mean VRQoL was lower in the MS group (median=95 range= 62.5-100) than in controls (median=100 range= 85-100) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that people with MS have significant differences in acoustic and aerodynamic parameters of voice compared to healthy individuals. A significant number of persons with MS are aware that their voice problem affects their quality of life. People with MS must be monitored for voice changes and a multidimensional voice assessment protocol should be implemented.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Dysphonia Screening Tool (DST-Br) for European Portuguese (EP). / Adaptação transcultural do Instrumento de Rastreio para a Disfonia (IRD-Br) para o Português Europeu (PE).

PURPOSE: To perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the Brazilian Dysphonia Screening Tool (DST-Br) for European Portuguese (EP). METHODS: The cross-cultural adaptation of the DST-Br for EP was carried out in four stages: translation, back-translation, expert committee review, and pre-testing. The pre-testing involved 30 dysphonic individuals (24 women and 6 men) aged between 18 and 87 years old. RESULTS: An additional statement was required in the EP version of the instrument. Disagreement in the back-translation of the title was resolved through an expert committee review. One item presented discrepancies in the translation and back-translation, with the final version determined through an expert committee review. One item and the answer key reached a consensus in all stages. During pre-testing, all items received 100% "yes" or "no" responses, and none were marked as "not applicable". CONCLUSION: The cross-cultural adaptation of DST-Br for use in EP was successfully carried out. The European Portuguese version of the instrument was named the Instrumento de Rastreio para a Disfonia em português europeu (IRD-PT) / Dysphonia Screening Tool in European Portuguese.

OBJETIVO: Realizar a adaptação transcultural do Instrumento de Rastreio para a Disfonia (IRD-Br) para o Português Europeu (PE). MÉTODOS: Foi realizada a adaptação transcultural do IRD-Br para o PE de acordo com as seguintes etapas: tradução, retrotradução, análise de um comitê de especialistas e pré-teste. Na etapa de pré-teste, participaram 30 indivíduos disfônicos com idades entre os 18 e 87 anos, sendo 24 do sexo feminino e 6 do sexo masculino. RESULTADOS: Foi necessária a inserção de um enunciado na versão em PE do instrumento. Houve divergência na retrotradução do título, sendo resolvida na análise do comitê de especialistas. Um item apresentou divergência na tradução e na retrotradução, sendo definida a versão final na análise do comitê de especialistas. Um item e a chave de resposta apresentaram consenso em todas as etapas. No pré-teste, todos os itens receberam 100% de respostas sim ou não, e nenhum recebeu resposta não aplicável. CONCLUSÃO: A adaptação do IRD-Br para o PE foi bem sucedida. A versão para o português europeu do instrumento foi denominada de Instrumento de Rastreio para a Disfonia em português europeu - IRD-PT.

[Voice disorders associated with novel coronavirus infection]. / Narusheniya golosa u patsientov posle perenesennoi novoi koronavirusnoi infektsii.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the features of voice disorders associated with novel coronavirus infection and to develop the clinical algorithm for diagnostic and treatment these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted in patients with dysphonia after COVID-19 (n=60). All patients underwent a comprehensive voice assessment before and after the proposed treatment. The follow-up period was 1 month. RESULTS: Functional dysphonia or aphonia with a stable (refractory) or recurrent course was diagnosed in 58 (97%) patients. A tendency to an increase in the value of the latent period of the P300 and MMN in patients with voice disorder was revealed. There was a significant decrease in supraglottic constriction and glottal insufficiency before and after the treatment. The mean VHI-10 decreased from 25.4 before treatment to 15.3 after treatment. The DSI which is based on the set of voice measurements, statistically significant improved from -5.2 to 2.6 in patients as a result of treatment. The average value of MFI-20 improved from 65.4 (8.7) at the beginning of the study to 20.3 (5.3) after treatment. CONCLUSION: In patients with dysphonia or aphonia associated with COVID-19 are indicated a refractory type of dysphonia. This was indicated by the study of AEPs of the brain. The clinical algorithm for treatment and diagnostic patients with voice disorders after COVID-19 has been developed. The treatment of this group of patients should be adjunct by the drug therapy, kinesiotaping method and psychotherapy.

[Application of the biofeedback method in the treatment of dysphonia (literature review)]. / Primenenie metoda biologicheskoi obratnoi svyazi pri lechenii disfonii (obzor literatury).

The literature review describes the experience of using the biofeedback method in the treatment of dysphonia of various etiologies. Indications for the use of this method and its effectiveness in a certain contingent of patients are discussed.

[Evaluation of the results of treatment of patients with functional dysphonia using a cepstral test]. / Otsenka rezul'tatov lecheniya patsientov s funktsional'noi disfoniei s pomoshch'yu kepstral'nogo testa.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment in patients with functional dysphonia, the Cepstral Peak Prominence (CPP) test was used. Twenty dysphonic women aged from 18 to 47 years were under observation. The control group consisted of 20 healthy women of close age. Patients underwent 5-7 sessions electrostimulation of laryngeal muscles and phonopedic treatment, after which a complete restoration of the voice was noted. The Praat clinical program was used, installed on a Hewlett-Packard 630 laptop (Pentium B960, 2.2 GHz). A SHURE SM94 condenser microphone was used as well. In the control group, the results were as follows: M=7.49 (SD=1.26) dB. In the main group before treatment: M=5.00 (SD=1.07) dB, after treatment: M=7.95 (SD=1.34) dB. Differences in KT values in the main group before and after treatment (5.00 dB and 7.95 dB, respectively) were significant at p<0.0001. Differences in KT values in the main group before treatment (5.00 dB) and in the control group (7.49 dB) were significant at p<0.0001. Differences in KT values in the main group after treatment (7.95 dB) and in the control group (7.49 dB) were not significant at p>0.05. The study showed high sensitivity of the method. The CPP data after treatment were higher than those before treatment and did not differ from the control ones. It is concluded that CPP is a highly sensitive method for evaluating the degree of periodicity of an acoustic signal and can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment in patients with functional dysphonia.

Spectral and cepstral measurements in women with behavioral dysphonia. / Medidas espectrais e cepstrais em mulheres com disfonia comportamental.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether there are differences in cepstral and spectral acoustic measures between women with behavioral dysphonia with and without laryngeal lesions and verify whether there is a correlation between such measures and the auditory-perceptual evaluation of voice quality. METHODS: The sample comprised 78 women with behavioral dysphonia without laryngeal lesions (BDWOL) and 68 with behavioral dysphonia with laryngeal lesions (vocal nodules) (BDWL). Cepstral peak prominence (CPP), cepstral peak prominence-smoothed (CPPS), spectral decrease, and H1-H2 (difference between the amplitude of the first and second harmonics) were extracted. They were submitted to the auditory-perceptual evaluation (APE) of the grade of hoarseness (GH), roughness (RO), breathiness (BR), and strain (ST). RESULTS: BDWL women had higher H1-H2 values and lower CPP and CPPS values than BDWOL women. More deviant voices had lower CPP and CPPS values. Breathy voices had lower CPP and CPPS values and higher H1-H2 values than rough ones. There was a weak negative correlation between CPP and RO, a moderate negative correlation with GH, and a strong negative correlation with BR. CPPS had a moderate negative correlation with GH, RO, and BR. H1-H2 had a weak positive correlation with BR. There was a weak positive correlation between spectral decrease and ST. CONCLUSION: H1-H2, CPP, and CPPS were different between BDWOL and BDWL women. Furthermore, cepstral and spectral measures were correlated with the different APE parameters.

OBJETIVO: Investigar se existem diferenças nas medidas acústicas cepstrais e espectrais entre mulheres com disfonia comportamental com e sem lesão laríngea, bem como verificar se existe correlação entre tais medidas e o julgamento perceptivo-auditivo da qualidade vocal. MÉTODO: Participaram 78 mulheres com disfonia comportamental sem lesão laríngea (DCSL) e 68 com disfonia comportamental com lesão laríngea (nódulos vocais) (DCCL). Foram extraídas as medidas CPP (cepstral peak prominence), CPPS (cepstral peak prominence smoothed), declínio espectral e H1-H2 (diferença entre a amplitude do primeiro e do segundo harmônico), assim como o julgamento perceptivo-auditivo (JPA) do grau geral de desvio vocal (GG), graus de rugosidade (GR), de soprosidade (GS) e de tensão (GT). RESULTADOS: Mulheres com DCCL apresentaram maiores valores de H1-H2 e menores valores no CPP e CPPS, em relação às mulheres com DCSL. As vozes mais desviadas apresentaram menores valores do CPP e CPPS. As vozes soprosas apresentaram menores valores de CPP e CPPS, assim como maior valor de H1-H2 em relação às vozes rugosas. Houve correlação negativa fraca entre o CPP e o GR, negativa moderada com o GG e negativa forte com o GS. O CPPS apresentou correlação negativa moderada com o GG, GR e GS. A medida H1-H2 apresentou correlação positiva fraca com o GS. Houve correlação positiva fraca entre o declínio espectral e o GT. CONCLUSÃO: As medidas acústicas H1-H2, CPP e CPPS apresentam diferenças entre mulheres com DCSL e DCCL. Além disso, há correlação entre as medidas cepstrais e espectrais e os diferentes parâmetros do JPA.

Evaluating the Effect of Voice Quality Covariance on Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation Using a Novel Two-Dimensional Magnitude Estimation Task.

PURPOSE: Most people with dysphonia present with voices that vary along more than one voice quality (VQ) dimension. This study sought to examine the effect of covariance between breathy and rough VQ in natural voices. METHOD: A two-dimensional matrix of 16 /a/ vowels was selected such that two VQ dimensions (breathiness and roughness) were sampled on a 4-point severity scale (none, mild, moderate, and severe). Ten listeners evaluated 480 stimuli (16 stimuli × 10 repetitions × 3 blocks) on one-dimensional magnitude estimation (1DME) tasks and a novel two-dimensional magnitude estimation (2DME) task that allowed for simultaneous measurement of breathiness and roughness. RESULTS: Data indicated high intra- and interrater reliabilities for both breathiness and roughness in the 2DME and 1DME tasks. Correlation analyses revealed a strong correlation between 2DME and 1DME judgments for breathiness and roughness (r > .95). There was also a minimal correlation between breathy and rough VQ in the 2DME task (r < .10). CONCLUSIONS: Covarying roughness or breathiness had less impact on the perception of the other VQ in natural dysphonic voices in 2DME compared to 1DME. An understanding and quantification of the perceptual interactions among the dimensions will aid in the refinement of computational models and in the establishment of the validity of clinical scales for VQ perception.

[Advances in application research on assessment methods of vocal fatigue].

Vocal fatigue（VF） is the common clinical symptom of voice diseases. It can also be a separate symptom and is considered to be a signal for the body to rest and to avoid pathological damage to the vocal cords. Therefore, the early identification and evaluation of vocal fatigue is of great value to the early prevention and treatment of vocal diseases. In recent years, there are many researches on the evaluation methods of vocalization fatigue. We searched the relevant literature and summarized the application status of vocal fatigue assessment methods, in order to provide reference for the selection and development of vocal fatigue assessment tools in clinical practice.

Analysis of different performance times of the voiced trill technique in older women. / Análise dos tempos de execução da técnica de sons vibrantes em idosas.

PURPOSE: To analyze and compare the immediate vocal effects of the voiced trill technique in the assessment of acoustic and auditory-perceptual measures of older women with and without self-perceived vocal changes. METHODS: Clinical, quasi-experimental study in older women, aged 60 to 70 years (n=53). A questionnaire on vocal self-perception, voice, and laryngeal assessment was applied, before and after performing the voiced trill technique. Before and during intervals of the technique, sustained vowel samples were collected, totaling four samples. Older women were divided into two groups: one with self-perceived voice changes (n=25), and the other without self-perceived voice changes (n=28). Auditory-perceptual assessments and acoustic analysis were performed. Statistical tests were used to correlate the data: ANOVA Test for repeated measures, Friedman Test, Wilcoxon Test, and Pearson's Chi-Square Test. For all tests, the significance level was set at 5%. RESULTS: There was a predominance of moderate dysphonia in both groups, according to the auditory-perceptual judgment. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in the assessment of the auditory-perceptual analysis regarding voice changes (improved, worsened, and unaltered voices) before and after the different technique performance times. Most older women improved their voice after 1 minute of performing the technique. CONCLUSION: Older women often have voice changes when considering the perceptual judgment of the voice. There was no scientific evidence as to the ideal time to obtain a better effect on older women's voices.

OBJETIVO: Analisar e comparar os efeitos vocais imediatos da técnica de sons vibrantes sonoros na avaliação de medidas acústicas e perceptivo-auditivas de idosas com e sem autopercepção de alteração vocal. MÉTODO: Estudo clínico quase experimental, envolvendo 53 idosas com idade entre 60 e 70 anos. Foi aplicado um questionário de autopercepção vocal, avaliação vocal e laríngea, antes e após a realização da técnica vocal com sons vibrantes sonoros. Antes e durante os intervalos da técnica, foram coletadas amostras de vogais sustentadas, totalizando quatro amostras. As mulheres idosas foram divididas em dois grupos: grupo com autopercepção de alteração vocal (n = 25) e grupo sem autopercepção de alteração vocal (n = 28). Foram realizadas avaliações perceptivo-auditivas e análise acústica. Os testes estatísticos foram utilizados para correlacionar os dados: Teste Anova para medidas repetidas, Teste de Friedman e Teste de Wilcoxon e Teste Qui-Quadrado de Pearson. Para todos os testes foi considerado nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: Houve predomínio de disfonia moderada em ambos os grupos, de acordo com a julgamento perceptivo-auditivo. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos na avaliação da análise perceptivo-auditiva quanto à melhora, piora e voz inalterada antes e após os diferentes tempos de execução da técnica. A maioria das idosas melhorou a voz após um minuto de execução da técnica. CONCLUSÃO: As idosas apresentam elevada presença de alteração vocal quando considerada o julgamento perceptivo-auditivo da voz. Não houve evidências científicas quanto ao momento ideal para se obter um melhor efeito na voz das idosas.