[Phoniatric studies in myasthenia gravis patients]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Otolaryngology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Context:

• Myasthenia gravis (MG) frequently causes dysarthria and dysphonia, impacting patient quality of life.
• Objective assessment of voice changes in MG has been limited.
• Bulbar, oculobulbar, and generalized MG subtypes are particularly prone to vocal dysfunction.

Purpose:

• To introduce and evaluate computed voice analysis as an objective method for assessing vocal impairments in myasthenia gravis.
• To quantify voice profile changes in MG patients before and after Mestinon treatment.
• To compare voice parameters in MG patients with a healthy control group.

Summary:

• Voice analysis in MG patients revealed impaired voice range and dynamics, shortened maximum phonation time, increased mean fundamental frequency, and decreased intensity.
• Treatment with Mestinon, a cholinesterase inhibitor, led to statistically significant improvements in these voice parameters.
• Despite treatment, voice parameters in MG patients remained impaired compared to healthy controls, highlighting persistent vocal deficits.

Impact:

• Highlights the utility of objective phoniatric methods, including computed voice analysis, in the otolaryngological evaluation of MG.
• Provides a quantifiable method for monitoring disease progression and treatment efficacy in neurological conditions affecting the voice.
• Recommends the integration of phoniatric assessments into the management of myasthenia gravis and similar neurological disorders.