Voice Disorders Associated with LPRD-related Chronic Cough

Abstract

Objective : To investigate the causes of voice disorders associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux disease (LPRD)related chronic cough. Methods : We performed a psychoacoustic evaluation, laryngoscopy (to detect the presence of obvious organic lesions, organic lesions associated with LPRD [subglottic edema and vocal fold edema], and determine the muscle tension dysphonia [MTD] score) for chronic cough patients with LPRD diagnosed by hypopharyngeal multichannel intraluminal impedance. Results : Among a total of 24 patients, 11 ( 46 %) patients had voice disorder. However, 7 of the 11 patients (64%) had no abnormalities in a psychoacoustic evaluation. Obvious vocal fold lesions were found in 2 of the 11 patients in the voice disorder group (18%). The score of subglottic edema and vocal fold edema, and the total MTD score (false vocal fold compression [FVF-C] and anterior-to-posterior compression [AP-C]) did not differ to a significant extent (p=0.52); however, the AP-C score of the voice disorder group was significantly higher than that of the normal group (p=0.04). Conclusions : The main component of the voice disorder was MTD, especially in AP-C. MTD should be taken into consideration and the possibility of LPRD should be considered in patients with voice disorders when there is a discrepancy between the chief complaint and laryngeal findings.