Determination of the Voice Parameters in Adult Individuals With Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Relation of Voice With Depression and Inflammation.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To assess, through both objective and subjective methods, the complaints of dysphonia among adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The secondary purpose of the study is to determine whether complaints of dysphonia are related to depression and disease activity. STUDY DESIGN: This is a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Eighty subjects (38 RA and 42 healthy volunteers aged 18-65 years old) were included in the study. Participants were evaluated using the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) to assess voice complaints. Laryngeal findings of participants with RA were performed by videolaryngoscopy. Maximum phonation time (MPT) measurements and acoustic voice analysis (PRAAT software) were performed to evaluate the presence of objective dysphonia. Disease activity of individuals was calculated by using Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28) scale. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was applied to evaluate the symptoms of depression in participants. RESULTS: The prevalence of laryngeal symptoms of participants with RA was %42.1. According to the cut-off score of VHI-10, 15.8% of the participants in the study group had voice complaints. Comparing the MPT and acoustic voice analyses values of the study and control group, the MPT of the RA participants were statistically lower (P< 0.05). Perturbation parameters of male participants in the study and control groups were statistically different. 15.8% of participants in RA group had symptoms of depression. However, there was no statistically significant difference between BDI and acoustic voice parameters. CONCLUSIONS: RA may be associated with voice disorders. Male patients with RA had worse jitter parameters, but the number of participants was low. Dysphonia may not be associated with depression and disease activity in RA patients.