Anticholinergic Use Is a Major Risk Factor for Dysphonia

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pharmacology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Dysphonia of unclear etiology is a common clinical challenge.
• Anticholinergic medications are widely used for various conditions.
• A potential link between anticholinergic drug use and dysphonia has been hypothesized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between anticholinergic medication use and dysphonia of unclear etiology.
• To determine if anticholinergic drug exposure is a risk factor for hoarseness.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 149 patients from a tertiary care laryngology practice.
• Patients' hoarseness severity was assessed and compared with medication lists, comorbidities, age, and sex.
• Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify significant predictors.

Main Results:

• Patients taking at least one anticholinergic medication had 2.32 times higher odds of hoarseness (P=.03).
• Patients taking two or more anticholinergic medications had 4.52 times higher odds of hoarseness (P=.009).

Conclusions:

• This study identifies medication use, specifically anticholinergics, as a significant risk factor for dysphonia of unclear origin.
• Awareness of this association is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of hoarseness.