Investigating the Relationship Between the Body Roundness Index and Presbylarynx

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Otolaryngology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Presbylarynx, characterized by age-related laryngeal changes, affects voice quality in older adults.
• Body composition, including body roundness index (BRI), may influence laryngeal function and voice.
• Understanding the relationship between body metrics and presbylarynx is crucial for comprehensive patient assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in BRI between older adults with and without presbylarynx.
• To explore the association between BRI, patient-reported voice outcomes, and acoustic voice measures.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 167 adults aged 60+ categorized into presbylarynx and control groups via videolaryngostroboscopy.
• Collection of anthropometric data (height, weight, BMI, BRI), patient-reported outcomes (T-VHI-10, T-RSI, T-EAT-10), and acoustic analyses.
• Statistical analysis using Mann-Whitney U-test and chi-squared Fisher's exact test for group comparisons.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in overall anthropometric indices between the presbylarynx and control groups.
• Symptomatic participants with presbylarynx exhibited lower waist circumference and a significantly lower BRI compared to controls.
• Acoustic analysis revealed higher shimmer, lower HNR, lower CPPS, and higher AVQI-3.0 in the presbylarynx group.

Conclusions:

• While general anthropometrics were similar, a lower BRI is associated with symptomatic presbylarynx.
• Individuals with presbylarynx present a noise-dominant acoustic profile.
• Integrating BRI with acoustic biomarkers can enhance phenotyping and guide voice rehabilitation for aging individuals.