Improvement in Acoustic Voice Characteristics in Functional Dysphonia After Therapy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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In a retrospective analysis of already existing clinical assessment data from patients with functional voice disorders the following aspects will be sampled, encoded and analysed: Outcomes pre and post treatment of subjective voice symptoms measured by Voice Handicap Index (VHI-9i), perceptual voice symptoms according to Grading-Roughness-Breathiness-Asthenia-Strain Scale (GRBAS Scale), instrumental acoustic analysis parameters Jitter (%), speaking voice profile: mean and range of speaking pitch and intensity, max. intensity and mean pitch of calling voice, singing voice: min./max. and range of pitch and intensity, maximum phonation time, Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI).

Official Title
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Which Instrumental Acoustic Voice Parameters Indicate Vocal Improvement After Voice Therapy in Patients With Functional Dysphonia

Conditions
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Functional Voice Disorder

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: informed consent; patients 20 to 70 years with functional voice disorder; -diagnostics and voice therapy at University Hospital Zurich; full pre- and post treatment voice assessment (videostroboscopy, subjective self- assessment, instrumental acoustic and perceptual analysis). Exclusion Criteria: known neurologic and psychiatric disease, hearing disorder, surgery of the head and neck area or intubation (for any reason) in last 18 months.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 20 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Instrumental acoustic voice parameters | Instrumental acoustic parameters are determined by a computer-assisted analysis of voice recordings. In the present study the following parameters are measured before and after voice therapy: Jitter % (deviation of fundamental frequency), mean and range of speaking pitch and intensity, maximum intensity and mean pitch of calling voice, minimum and max. and range of pitch and intensity of the singing voice, and the composite measure Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI). | Before (initial diagnosis) and after voice therapy, expected average of 11-20 weeks after initial diagnosis) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subjective voice symptoms | Subjective voice symptoms are measured before and after voice therapy by the patient questionnaire Voice Handicap Index (VHI-9i). | Before (initial diagnosis) and after voice therapy, expected average of 11-20 weeks after initial diagnosis) | 
| Perceptual voice symptoms | Perceptual (hearable) voice symptoms are determined by the examiner before and after voice therapy using GRBAS Scale (Grading-Roughness-Breathiness-Asthenia-Strain Scale). | Before (initial diagnosis) and after voice therapy, expected average of 11-20 weeks after initial diagnosis) |