Multi-Institutional Study of Patient-Reported Outcomes of Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion

To explore patient-reported outcome measures of pediatric paradoxical vocal fold motion through a multi-institutional study of geographically diverse United States medical facilities to assess long-term management and outcomes.

Eligible participants >8 years of age diagnosed with PVFM over a 10-year period from 7 tertiary pediatric hospitals were invited to complete a survey addressing study objectives.

65 participants completed the survey, of whom 80% were female, 75% reported a 3.5 grade point average or better, and 75% identified as competitive athletes or extremely athletic individuals. Participants rated their perceived efficacy of 13 specific treatments. Only five treatments were considered effective by a majority of the participants who tried them. The treatments that participants tried most often were breathing exercises (89.2%), bronchodilator treatments (45%), and allergy medications (35.4%). 78.8% of participants reported receiving more than one treatment and 25% reported receiving a combination of bronchodilators, anticholinergics, and steroids. At the time of PVFM diagnosis, 38% of participants had no idea when their symptoms would completely resolve. 23.3% of participants did not experience symptom resolution until greater than 1 year after diagnosis.

Traditional management tools such as breathing exercises and biofeedback treatments may not provide the long-term benefit that providers anticipate. In addition to these commonly used management strategies, highly efficacious techniques such as counseling and lifestyle management should be incorporated into the long-term management of patients whose symptoms are refractory to traditional care.

4 Laryngoscope, 133:970-976, 2023.