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Voice Component Relationships with High Reflux Symptom Index Scores in Muscle Tension Dysphonia
Payman Dabirmoghaddam1, Benyamin Rahmaty2, Reza Erfanian3
1Associate Professor of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Amir Alam Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Objective:
To analyze the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) and the Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) scores based on the perceptual and analytical parameters in primary MTD patients with no reflux.
Study Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Methods:
One hundred and eighteen participants, that is, sixty patients with normal voices and fifty-eight patients with primary MTD were recruited in this study. The diagnosis of primary MTD was made by perceptual voice analysis, neck palpation, video-laryngoscopic examination, and exclusion of other etiologies. Acoustic analysis and the GRBAS (Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain) scale were evaluated for all participants. The V-RQOL and RSI questionnaires were then given to all participants.
Results:
This study included 118 participants of 29 males (48.3%) and 31 females (51.7%) in the normal group. MTD group also included 27 males (46.6%) and 31 (53.4%) female patients. Mean (SD) RSI and V-RQOL scores were 12.35 (3.84) and 11.09 (2.20) for the normal group, and 22.87 (6.97) and 22.89 (7.94) for the MTD group (P = .000). In the MTD group, V-RQOL had a positive correlation with jitter for /i/ and /u/, Noise to Harmonic Ratio (NHR) for /i/, /a/, and /u/, and Grade, Roughness, and Strain of GRBAS scale (P < .05). In addition, RSI had a positive correlation with Strain in the MTD group (P < .05).
Conclusion:
MTD patients in the absence of laryngopharyngeal reflux findings may have high RSI scores. Hence, patients with high RSI scores and disproportionate acoustic and perceptual analysis would require a thorough evaluation of MTD.
Level Of Evidence:
4 Laryngoscope, 131:E1573-E1579, 2021.
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