[Relations between symptoms, durations and triggers of attacks and concurrent diseases in paradoxical vocal fold...

To discover the relation between initial symptoms, triggers and durations of attacks of paradoxical vocal fold movement disorder (PVFMD) and concurrent laryngeal and respiratory diseases.

Twenty one PVFMD patients (17 females, 4 males; mean age 50 year; range 31 to 72 years) were included in the study. Diagnosis of PVFMD was established when inspiratory and/or expiratory vocal cord adduction was seen during laryngostroboscopy.

Laryngeal and respiratory diseases accompanying PVFMD were laryngopharyngeal reflux (n=15; 71%), asthma (n=11; 52%), allergic rhinitis (n=6; 28%), chronic sinusitis (n=1; 4%), right vocal cord paresis (n=1; 4%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=2; 9%), (p=0.346). The most common symptoms were inspiratory stridor (n=16; 76%), dyspnea (n=13; 60%) and cough (n=9; 42%), (p=0.346). There was no significant relation between concurrent diseases and the frequencies of symptoms (0.091). Triggers for attacks were found to be air pollutants including dust, smoke and temperature variations (n=8; 38%), exercise (n=7; 33%), perfumes and detergents (n=6; 28%), animal fur and pollen (n=4; 19%), phonation and loud speaking (n=3; 14%) and emotional stress-anxiety (n=1; 4%), (p=0.308). Durations of attacks were several minutes in 14 patients (66%), several seconds in five patients (23%) and more than one hour in two patients (9%), (p=0.338).

Durations and triggers of attacks and initial symptoms in paradoxical vocal fold movement disorder seems not to be related with concurrent laryngeal and respiratory diseases.