Videolaryngostroboscopy and voice evaluation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Laryngeal complaints were reported by 70.4% of the patients and laryngoscopical alterations were observed in 48% of the subjects. Voice acoustic evaluation and self-perception were altered.

Parameters of the assessment of voice quality and clinical manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis

“…Acoustic objective examinations of voice quality have been conducted only by few authors [1,13]. In this study in both the RA groups pathological values of most acoustic parameters were registered, especially in group II with moderate and severe activity of RA.…”

“…Several studies have concentrated on clinical aspects of otorhinolaryngological manifestations of RA, concerning the larynx, the ear and even the nose [3,9]. Many authors have paid a special attention to changes in the phonatory organ in the course of RA, which are the sources of serious voice pathology [1,5,11,13]. Moreover, vocal fold lesions described as cricoarytenoid arthritis, vocal fold rheumatoid nodules or bamboo nodes have been demonstrated [3,6].…”

“…According to other authors hoarseness, foreign body sensation in the throat, voice fatigue and problems with singing [1,13] belong to the most common symptoms of voice quality disorders registered by patients with RA. Voice fatigue, hoarseness and also other symptoms such as slight cough, retention of secretion, painfulness in regions of the larynx and foreign body sensation in the throat belonged to the most frequent symptoms in RA patients analyzed in the present study.…”

“…However, only some data have focused on the relationship between voice pathology and clinical features of RA [1,10]. Furthermore, comparable, new, objective methods of examining voice quality parameters for the assessment of the laryngeal involvement in RA patients have been used only by few authors [1,13].…”

“…Results of many investigations base on the subjective phoniatric assessment or refer to the analysis of quality of life in RA patients [5,10,11]. However, only few studies use objective methods of voice quality assessment [1,13].…”