Patricia Gillivan-Murphy1, Nick Miller2, Paul Carding3. 1. Speech & Language Therapy Department, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles Street, Dublin 7, Ireland. Electronic address: pgmurphy@mater.ie. 2. Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Speech and Language Sciences, George VI Building, Newcastle University, Newcastle-Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom. 3. National Course Coordinator in Speech Pathology, School of Allied and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Brisbane Campus, Room 1 MCA Building, 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo, Brisbane, Queensland 4014, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Voice tremor associated with Parkinson disease (PD) has not been characterized. Its relationship with voice disability and disease variables is unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate voice tremor in people with PD (pwPD) and a matched control group using acoustic analysis, and to examine correlations with voice disability and disease variables. METHODS: Acoustic voice tremor analysis was completed on 30 pwPD and 28 age-gender matched controls. Voice disability (Voice Handicap Index), and disease variables of disease duration, Activities of Daily Living (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS II]), and motor symptoms related to PD (UPDRS III) were examined for relationship with voice tremor measures. RESULTS: Voice tremor was detected acoustically in pwPD and controls with similar frequency. PwPD had a statistically significantly higher rate of amplitude tremor (Hz) than controls (P = 0.001). Rate of amplitude tremor was negatively and significantly correlated with UPDRS III total score (rho -0.509). For pwPD, the magnitude and periodicity of acoustic tremor was higher than for controls without statistical significance. The magnitude of frequency tremor (Mftr%) was positively and significantly correlated with disease duration (rho 0.463). PwPD had higher Voice Handicap Index total, functional, emotional, and physical subscale scores than matched controls (P < 0.001). Voice disability did not correlate significantly with acoustic voice tremor measures. CONCLUSION: Acoustic analysis enhances understanding of PD voice tremor characteristics, its pathophysiology, and its relationship with voice disability and disease symptomatology.
BACKGROUND: Voice tremor associated with Parkinson disease (PD) has not been characterized. Its relationship with voice disability and disease variables is unknown. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate voice tremor in people with PD (pwPD) and a matched control group using acoustic analysis, and to examine correlations with voice disability and disease variables. METHODS: Acoustic voice tremor analysis was completed on 30 pwPD and 28 age-gender matched controls. Voice disability (Voice Handicap Index), and disease variables of disease duration, Activities of Daily Living (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS II]), and motor symptoms related to PD (UPDRS III) were examined for relationship with voice tremor measures. RESULTS: Voice tremor was detected acoustically in pwPD and controls with similar frequency. PwPD had a statistically significantly higher rate of amplitude tremor (Hz) than controls (P = 0.001). Rate of amplitude tremor was negatively and significantly correlated with UPDRS III total score (rho -0.509). For pwPD, the magnitude and periodicity of acoustic tremor was higher than for controls without statistical significance. The magnitude of frequency tremor (Mftr%) was positively and significantly correlated with disease duration (rho 0.463). PwPD had higher Voice Handicap Index total, functional, emotional, and physical subscale scores than matched controls (P < 0.001). Voice disability did not correlate significantly with acoustic voice tremor measures. CONCLUSION: Acoustic analysis enhances understanding of PD voice tremor characteristics, its pathophysiology, and its relationship with voice disability and disease symptomatology.