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The clinical features of functional dysphonia
1Department of Otolaryngology, Freeman Hospital, Freeman Road, High Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7DN, U.K.
The Laryngoscope
|February 27, 2001
Summary
Laryngeal muscle tension features are common in both functional dysphonia (FD) patients and healthy individuals. These common features do not reliably differentiate between FD and normal voice function.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Functional dysphonia (FD) is often associated with specific laryngeal muscle tension features.
- The diagnostic utility of these features in differentiating FD from normal voice is not well-established.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of laryngeal muscle tension features in patients with FD and a control group.
- To determine if these features can reliably distinguish individuals with FD from those with normal vocal function.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, control-blinded, cross-sectional study was conducted.
- Senior laryngologists and speech pathologists independently assessed video laryngoscopies of 51 FD patients and 52 controls.
- The presence of 12 specific laryngeal dysfunction features and overall vocal technique was evaluated.
Main Results:
- Over 60% of the control group exhibited at least one hyperfunction feature.
- No significant differences were found in the prevalence of specific or total abnormal features between FD patients and controls.
- Positive predictive values for identifying FD ranged from 50% to 75%.
Conclusions:
- Laryngoscopic features commonly linked to FD are highly prevalent in non-dysphonic individuals.
- These features lack the specificity to reliably differentiate patients with FD from healthy subjects.
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