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Summary Objectives/Hypothesis To determine predictors of voice therapy initiation. Study Design Cross-sectional cohort study. Methods All patients were evaluated in an interdisciplinary model at the University of Wisconsin Voice and Swallow Clinics between June 2016 and October 2017. Patients were eligible if they were diagnosed with a voice disorder and recommended for voice therapy as the only treatment. The dependent variable was attendance in at least once voice therapy session. Independent variables included therapeutic alliance, measured using the Session Rating Scale, and patient- and disease-related factors. These factors included gender, age, distance to the clinic, education level, household composition, occupational voice demand, Voice Handicap Index score, auditory-perceptual dysphonia severity (Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain), and medical voice diagnosis. Results Ninety-five patients were enrolled in the study. Voice therapy initiation rate was 70%. Having fewer school-aged children (5-18 years) in the household was significantly different between the group that initiated voice therapy and the group that did not (P = 0.048). There was no difference between groups for all other factors. Conclusions This investigation suggests that household composition, specifically having fewer school-aged children in the household, may predict initiation of voice therapy. This study confirms in a prospective fashion the absence of relationship between voice therapy initiation and most patient- and disease-related factors. Therapeutic alliance should be further investigated for its ability to predict voice therapy initiation using a measure that is validated for the population of patients with dysphonia.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of high-concentration oxygen on the improvement of throat symptoms and voice changes after thyroid surgery and its protection of the parathyroid function.MethodsA total of 600 patients undergoing thyroid surgery who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 300) and the control group (n = 300) by using a random number generator. The patients in the experimental group underwent high-oxygen treatment [FiO280 (8 L/min)] for 6 continuous hours after returning to the ward after surgery. The patients in the control group underwent low-oxygen treatment [FiO230 (2 L/min)] for 6 continuous hours after returning to the ward after surgery.ResultsThe postoperative incision pain score of patients in the experimental group was significantly better than that in the control group at 6 h (1.07 ± 0.80 VS 1.23 ± 0.95, P=0.031) and 12 h (1.08 ± 0.64 VS 1.20 ± 0.73, P=0.041). The postoperative throat pain score of the patients in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group at 6 h (1.40 ± 0.85 VS 1.59 ± 0.97, P=0.011) and 12 h (1.40 ± 0.85 VS 1.59 ± 0.97, P=0.019). The PONV score of the patients in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group at 12 h (0.09 ± 0.19 VS 0.14 ± 0.37, P=0.024). The Voice Handicap Index score of the patients in the experimental group was significantly better than that of the control group at 24 h (2.89 ± 5.92 VS 4.10 ± 6.31, P=0.017), 36 h (2.46 ± 5.06 VS 3.43 ± 5.97, P=0.035), and 48 h (2.46 ± 5.06 VS 3.43 ± 5.97, P=0.032).ConclusionHigh-concentration oxygen can alleviate PONV and pain after thyroid surgery, with less severe voice changes potentially. However, its effects on swallowing function, and parathyroid function need to be further verified.Clinical Trial Registration NumberChiCTR-IOR-17012765 (China Clinical Trial Registry clinical trial registration center [http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx)

Introduction: The health voice production depends on vocal folds vibration and resonance. Anatomical changes of the vocal folds soft tissue (epithelium, ligament, muscle) can cause functional problems results in voice disorders. The vocal folds react to smoking, from irritate the mucous to the tissue changes or dysplasia that degradation of voice performance in daily living.Aim: This study determined the influence of smoking habits to the voice handicap score by Voice Handicap Index score (VHI).Patients and Methods: The design was a retrospective cohort study from 96 adults that identified level of voice fatigue through VHI. They were divided into 3 groups: a group of active smokers, passive smokers and nonsmokers. Chi-square test and regression nominal test was used in this study.Results: Voice fatigue (VHI score > 20) in both active smokers (13.54%) and passive smokers (15.62%) compared with nonsmokers (6.25%), by Chi-square test results was p = 0.047 (p

Background Voice disorders are frequent after thyroidectomy. We report the long-term voice quality outcomes after thyroidectomy using the voice handicap index self-questionnaire. Methods Eight hundred patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between 2014 and 2017 in 7 French hospitals were prospectively included. All patients filled in voice handicap index questionnaires, preoperatively and 2 and 6 months after surgery. Results Median (range) voice handicap index scores were significantly increased at month 2 (4 [0; 108]) compared to preoperative values (2 [0; 76]) and were unchanged at month 6 (2 [2; 92]). Clinically significant voice impairment (voice handicap index score difference ≥18 points) was reported in 19.7% at month 2 and 13% at month 6. Thirty-seven (4.6%) had postoperative vocal cord palsy. In patients with vocal cord palsy compared to those without, median voice handicap index scores were increased at month 2 (14 [0; 107] vs 4 [0; 108]; P = .0039), but not at month 6 (5 [0; 92] vs 2 [0; 87]; P = .0702). Clinically significant impairment was reported in 38% vs 19% at month 2 (P = .010), and in 19% vs 13% at month 6 (P = .310). Thyroid weight, postoperative hypocalcemia, vocal cord palsy, and absence of intraoperative neuromonitoring utilization were associated with an increased risk of clinically significant self-perceived voice impairment at month 2. Conclusion Thyroidectomy impairs patients’ voice quality perception in patients with and without vocal cord palsy.