Socioeconomic Variables of Patients with Spasmodic Dysphonia: A Preliminary Study

To characterize socioeconomic status (SES) variables of spasmodic dysphonia (SD) patients and determine their impact on voice outcomes after treatment with botulinum toxin.

Retrospective review.

SD patients treated with botulinum toxin for the past 10 years (July 2007-July 2017) for whom sufficient SES and outcome data were available were included. Spearman rho nonparametric correlation coefficients were calculated to determine if SES variables were significantly associated with self-perceived vocal quality. Voice Handicap Index-10 was recorded. Patients were asked at each visit to rate their best voice quality during the period of previous botulinum toxin injection on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best.

Fifty SD patients were included. Average age was 60.3 ± 11.4 years, with men representing 24% of patients. Ethnicity was 74% Caucasian and 26% non-Caucasian. Median household income was $76,564 ± $24,782. Sixty-six percent of patients were employed. Adductor SD was diagnosed in 82% of patients and abductor SD in 12%. Best voice out of 10 was 7.23 ± 2.0. Mean Voice Handicap Index-10 score was 25.14 ± 9.4. Patients were treated with botulinum toxin for 165.9 ± 101.9 months. Age, gender, median household income, ethnicity, and employment status were not significantly associated with self-perceived vocal quality. Patients with longer disease duration self-reported a better voice (P = 0.02, r = 0.387).

SES variables were not associated with voice outcomes for SD patients treated with botulinum toxin. Patients self-reported improved voice with longer duration of disease.