Jérôme R Lechien1,2,3,4, Kathy Huet5, Mohamad Khalife6, Anne-Françoise Fourneau6, Camille Finck7, Véronique Delvaux5, Myriam Piccaluga5, Bernard Harmegnies5, Sven Saussez8,6,9. 1. Laboratory of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, UMONS Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Avenue du Champ de mars, 6, 7000, Mons, Belgium. jerome.lechien@umons.ac.be. 2. Laboratory of Phonetics, Faculty of Psychology, Research Institute for Language sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Mons, Belgium. jerome.lechien@umons.ac.be. 3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, EpiCURA Hospital, UMONS-EpiCURA Research plateform, Baudour, Belgium. jerome.lechien@umons.ac.be. 4. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, CHU de Bruxelles, CHU Saint-Pierre, Bruxelles, Belgium. jerome.lechien@umons.ac.be. 5. Laboratory of Phonetics, Faculty of Psychology, Research Institute for Language sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Mons, Belgium. 6. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, EpiCURA Hospital, UMONS-EpiCURA Research plateform, Baudour, Belgium. 7. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, CHU de Liège, Liege, Belgium. 8. Laboratory of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, UMONS Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMons), Avenue du Champ de mars, 6, 7000, Mons, Belgium. 9. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, CHU de Bruxelles, CHU Saint-Pierre, Bruxelles, Belgium.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the voice quality impairments in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) according to the gender. DESIGN: Controlled multi-center study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 80 LPR patients (40 males and 40 females) with reflux finding score (RFS) > 7 and reflux symptom index (RSI) > 13 were included and clinically compared according to gender. To be considered as LPR patients, subjects responded to an empiric therapeutic trial based on pantoprazole intake and diet recommendations for 3 months or had positive pH/Impedance metry. Voice Handicap Index (VHI); Short Form Healthy Survey 36 (SF36), blinded Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain and Instability (GRBASI); aerodynamic and acoustic measurements were assessed in all patients and compared with 80 healthy controls (40 males and 40 females) according to gender. RESULTS: The most common reasons for the consultation were, respectively, globus sensation in males (22.5%) and dysphonia (27.5%) in female who complained more of breathing difficulties and choking episodes related to LPR than males (p = 0.024). From a quality of life standpoint, female had increased significant impact of LPR disease on vitality and mental health than male. Compared to healthy subjects, both LPR male and female patients had stronger values of G, R, B, S, I, VHI, percent jitter, percent shimmer, and soft palate index than controls. In addition, LPR female had stronger values of lowest fundamental frequency and all aerodynamic measurements than controls. CONCLUSION: As showed in many other laryngeal conditions, voice quality of female could be more impaired by LPR than male. Some anatomical, histological and functional factors can be suspected and need additional future researches.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the voice quality impairments in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) according to the gender. DESIGN: Controlled multi-center study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 80 LPR patients (40 males and 40 females) with reflux finding score (RFS) > 7 and reflux symptom index (RSI) > 13 were included and clinically compared according to gender. To be considered as LPR patients, subjects responded to an empiric therapeutic trial based on pantoprazole intake and diet recommendations for 3 months or had positive pH/Impedance metry. Voice Handicap Index (VHI); Short Form Healthy Survey 36 (SF36), blinded Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain and Instability (GRBASI); aerodynamic and acoustic measurements were assessed in all patients and compared with 80 healthy controls (40 males and 40 females) according to gender. RESULTS: The most common reasons for the consultation were, respectively, globus sensation in males (22.5%) and dysphonia (27.5%) in female who complained more of breathing difficulties and choking episodes related to LPR than males (p = 0.024). From a quality of life standpoint, female had increased significant impact of LPR disease on vitality and mental health than male. Compared to healthy subjects, both LPR male and female patients had stronger values of G, R, B, S, I, VHI, percent jitter, percent shimmer, and soft palate index than controls. In addition, LPR female had stronger values of lowest fundamental frequency and all aerodynamic measurements than controls. CONCLUSION: As showed in many other laryngeal conditions, voice quality of female could be more impaired by LPR than male. Some anatomical, histological and functional factors can be suspected and need additional future researches.