Acoustic Voice Analysis Research Articles

Investigation of Acoustic Voice Characteristics of Individuals Diagnosed with Muscle Tension Dysphonia.

Muscle tension dysphonia (MTD) is a functional voice condition that causes irregular and imbalanced laryngeal and paralaryngeal muscle activation. Our study aimed to examine the acoustic characteristics of patients with MTD and reveal the differences between genders. The study retrospectively reviewed the acoustic examination findings from the files of patients diagnosed with MTD during evaluations in the laryngology outpatient clinic at a tertiary reference hospital between 2015 and 2022. The parameters assessed in prolonged vowel phonation analysis were fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, noise-to-harmonic-to-ratio, and soft phonation index; in the counting task analysis, they were intensity, frequency, and semitone. Gender differences in acoustic measurements obtained during prolonged vowel phonation and counting tasks were also examined. The study included 80 individuals diagnosed with MTD. Although all parameters in the acoustic analysis of/a/ phonation were increased, differences were statistically significant only in the F0 and jitter parameters between females and males (p≤0.05). In the analysis of the counting task, the mean and minimum F0 parameters were significantly higher in females than in males (p=0.000). The mean dB level was decreased, particularly in the counting task, but the results for the intensity parameter did not differ significantly between genders (p>0.05). The values in the acoustic voice analysis parameters of patients with MTD were determined. These acoustic parameters are thought to guide the clinician in evaluating voice and determining voice therapy goals for MTD patients.

Evaluation of Subjective and Objective Voice Characteristics in Patients With Bulimia Nervosa

ObjectiveThe present study aims to examine subjectively and objectively the voice changes in Bulimia Nervosa patients at different stages of treatment. MethodThe study was conducted with a study group including 10 patients followed up with a diagnosis of Blum,ia Nerrvosa and a control group consisting of 10 healthy participants of a similar age group without eating disorders. The reflux symptom index was used for stroboscopic evaluation. The fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, shimmer, and noise-to-harmonics ratio (NHR) were determined during acoustic voice analysis. Maximum phonation time was analysed. A subjective evaluation was performed using the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10). ResultsJitter, Shimmer, VHI-10 Score, and RFS values showed a statistically significant difference in the patient and control groups (p<0.05). The mean values of Jitter, Shimmer, VHI-10 Score, and RFS were higher in the patient group than in the control group. MPT did not differ between goups (p>0.05)Age and F0 (Hz) values showed no statistically significant difference in the patient and control groups (p>0.05). ConclusionIn BN patients, the laryngopharyngeal reflux mechanism causes negative effects on vocal cord examination and acoustic sound analysis parameters, leading to subjective dissatisfaction.

Comparison of TEVA vs. PRAAT in the Acoustic Characterization of the Tracheoesophageal Voice in Laryngectomized Patients.

Background: Previous studies have assessed the capability of PRAAT for acoustic voice analysis in total laryngectomized (TL) patients, although this software was designed for acoustic analysis of laryngeal voice. Recently, we have witnessed the development of specialized acoustic analysis software, Tracheoesophageal Voice Analysis (TEVA). This study aims to compare the analysis with both programs in TL patients. Methods: Observational analytical study of 34 TL patients where a quantitative acoustic analysis was performed for stable phonation with vowels [a] and [i] as well as spectrographic characterization using the TEVA and PRAAT software. Results: The Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10) showed a mean score of 11.29 ± 11.16 points, categorized as a moderate handicap. TEVA analysis found lower values in the fundamental frequency vs. PRAAT (p < 0.05). A significant increase in shimmer values was observed with TEVA (>20%). No significant differences were found between spectrographic analysis with TEVA and PRAAT. Conclusions: Tracheoesophageal speech is an alaryngeal voice, characterized by a higher degree of irregularity and noise compared to laryngeal speech. Consequently, it necessitates a more tailored approach using objective assessment tools adapted to these distinct features, like TEVA, that are designed specifically for TL patients. This study provides statistical evidence supporting its reliability and suitability for the evaluation and tracking of tracheoesophageal speakers.

Unilateral gamma knife thalamotomy for tremor safety and efficacy in multimodal assessment: a prospective case-control study with two-year follow-up.

Unilateral gamma knife thalamotomy (GKT) is a treatment option for pharmacoresistant tremor of various aetiologies. There have been to date no randomised controlled trials performed to assess its safety and efficacy. Our aim was to summarise a two-year multimodal observation of patients with tremor caused by Parkinson's Disease (PD) or essential tremor (ET). 23 patients with PD (n = 12) or ET (n = 11) were included. They underwent assessments before, V0 (n = 23), and 12 months, V12 (n = 23), and 24 months, V24 (n = 15), after unilateral GKT. Patients were assessed with psychological tests and acoustic voice analysis. Tremor assessment was performed with a digitising table using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin rating scale (FTMRS). The Unified Parkinson's Disease rating scale part III (UPDRS-III) was also used in the PD group. Gait and balance was assessed using clinical tests, stabilometric platform, and treadmill. No side effects were observed in a two-year follow-up. There was no notable deterioration observed in the patients' psychological evaluation, speech, or assessment of gait and balance. The scores were significantly lower (p = 0.01) in parts A and B of FTMRS one year after GKT. In post hoc analysis, the scores did not differ significantly between V0 and V24. In FTMRS part C (activities of daily living), no significant change was observed. There was no significant difference in total UPDRS part III score or in score of UPDRS part III domains 3 and 4 ('tremor at rest' and 'action and postural tremor of hands') between measurements. UGKT may be a safe treatment modality if performed in an experienced centre. Tremor reduction may diminish over time, and UGKT did not lead to cognitive, gait or speech deterioration in a long-term observation.

Effects of Speech Characteristics on Electroglottographic and Instrumental Acoustic Voice Analysis Metrics in Women With Structural Dysphonia Before and After Treatment.

Literature suggests a dependency of the acoustic metrics, smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPS) and harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), on human voice loudness and fundamental frequency (F0). Even though this has been explained with different oscillatory patterns of the vocal folds, so far, it has not been specifically investigated. In the present work, the influence of three elicitation levels, calibrated sound pressure level (SPL), F0 and vowel on the electroglottographic (EGG) and time-differentiated EGG (dEGG) metrics hybrid open quotient (OQ), dEGG OQ and peak dEGG, as well as on the acoustic metrics CPPS and HNR, was examined, and their suitability for voice assessment was evaluated. In a retrospective study, 29 women with a mean age of 25 years (± 8.9, range: 18-53) diagnosed with structural vocal fold pathologies were examined before and after voice therapy or phonosurgery. Both acoustic and EGG signals were recorded simultaneously during the phonation of the sustained vowels /ɑ/, /i/, and /u/ at three elicited levels of loudness (soft/comfortable/loud) and unconstrained F0 conditions. A linear mixed-model analysis showed a significant effect of elicitation effort levels on peak dEGG, HNR, and CPPS (all p < .01). Calibrated SPL significantly influenced HNR and CPPS (both p < .01). Furthermore, F0 had a significant effect on peak dEGG and CPPS (p < .0001). All metrics showed significant changes with regard to vowel (all p < .05). However, the treatment had no effect on the examined metrics, regardless of the treatment type (surgery vs. voice therapy). The value of the investigated metrics for voice assessment purposes when sampled without sufficient control of SPL and F0 is limited, in that they are significantly influenced by the phonatory context, be it speech or elicited sustained vowels. Future studies should explore the diagnostic value of new data collation approaches such as voice mapping, which take SPL and F0 effects into account.

Stroboscopy and acoustic analysis of voice following endotracheal intubation in otological surgeries

BackgroundStroboscopy is an endoscopy that is performed with intermittent light at a frequency that approximates the frequency of a moving object so that it appears in slow motion or motionless. It is used to analyze the structure and motion of the vocal fold.Aim and objectiveTo compare the stroboscopic findings of various vocal parameters such as symmetry, amplitude, periodicity, mucosal wave of vocal folds, and glottis closure before and after elective endotracheal intubation and to compare acoustic analysis of voice using fundamental frequency, intensity, maximum phonation time, and dysphonia severity index in patients before and after elective intubation, who were undergoing otological surgeries. It also assesses the correlation between changes in these vocal and acoustic parameters and the size of the endotracheal tube, duration of intubation, and number of attempts made during intubation. This study creates awareness and provides insights to avoid intubation-related vocal fold injury.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study involving 31 patients done in a Tertiary Care Centre. All patients who underwent otological surgeries by elective endotracheal intubation were included. All of them underwent stroboscopic and acoustic evaluation preoperatively, 24 h, and 7 days postoperatively.ResultsStatistically significant changes in mucosal wave pattern score were observed in the 1st postoperative day that reverted to normal by the end of 7th postoperative day and in GRBAS which was significant at the end of both 1st and 7th POD. Other parameters like fundamental frequency, intensity, DSI, MPT, amplitude, symmetry, periodicity, and glottis closure remain unaltered. There was a moderate positive correlation between the duration of intubation (minutes) and mucosal wave 1st POD (P-value: 0.003).ConclusionThe majority of the patients (61%) had normal laryngeal structures. A total of 39% had evidence of injury, the most common being right vocal fold hemorrhage improved by the end of 7th postoperative day and became normal.

Bilateral Deep Brain Stimulation of the Ventral Intermediate Nucleus of the Thalamus Improves Objective Acoustic Measures of Essential Vocal Tremor.

Deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus (VIM-DBS) is an established treatment for medically refractory essential tremor. However, the effect of VIM-DBS on vocal tremor remains poorly understood, with results varying by method of vocal tremor assessment and stimulation laterality. This single-center study measures the effect of bilateral VIM-DBS on essential vocal tremor using blinded objective acoustic voice analysis. Ten patients with consecutive essential tremor with comorbid vocal tremor receiving bilateral VIM-DBS underwent voice testing before and after implantation of DBS in this prospective cohort study. Objective acoustic measures were extracted from the middle one second of steady-state phonation including cepstral peak prominence, signal-to-noise ratio, percentage voicing, tremor rate, extent of fundamental frequency modulation, and extent of intensity modulation. DBS surgery was performed awake with microelectrode recording and intraoperative testing. Postoperative voice testing was performed after stable programming. Patients included 6 female and 4 male, with a mean age of 67 ± 6.7 years. The VIM was targeted with the following coordinates relative to the mid-anterior commissure:posterior commissure point: 13.2 ± 0.6 mm lateral, 6.2 ± 0.7 mm posterior, and 0.0 mm below. Mean programming parameters were amplitude 1.72.0 ± 0.6 mA, pulse width 63.0 ± 12.7 µs, and rate 130.6 ± 0.0 Hz. VIM-DBS significantly improved tremor rate from 4.43 ± 0.8 Hz to 3.2 ± 0.8 Hz ( P = .001) CI (0.546, 1.895), jitter from 1 ± 0.94 to 0.53 ± 0.219 ( P = .02) CI (-0.124, 1.038), cepstral peak prominence from 13.6 ± 3.9 to 18.8 ± 2.9 ( P = .016) CI (-4.100, -0.235), signal-to-noise ratio from 15.7 ± 3.9 to 18.5 ± 3.7 ( P = .02) CI (-5.598, -0.037), and articulation rate from 0.77 ± 0.2 to 0.82 ± .14 ( P = .04) CI (-0.097, 0.008). There were no major complications in this series. Objective acoustic voice analyses suggest that bilateral VIM-DBS effectively reduces vocal tremor rate and improves voicing. Further studies using objective acoustic analyses and laryngeal imaging may help refine surgical and stimulation techniques and evaluate the effect of laterality on vocal tremor.

Effects of Age-Dependent Hormonal Changes and Estrogen Supplementation on Voice in Girls with Anorexia Nervosa—Preliminary Report

IntroductionHuman development includes lots of physical and emotional changes. The human voice depends on age. Voice production is a complex physiological and acoustic phenomenon that depends on many factors such as structure, hormone level, degree of fatigue or nutrition and hydration of the body, systemic diseases and emotional state. All these factors can be present in anorexia nervosa (AN), such as excessive weight loss, generated hydro-electrolytic changes, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal disturbances in the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, and emotional distress. The prevalence of AN ranges between 0.3 and 3%, and it is the third most common chronic disease affecting adolescent girls. However, voice changes related to AN have not been fully investigated. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of AN on age-related changes in the voice of adolescent women – before and after puberty, particularly through acoustic analysis. An additional objective was to evaluate estrogen substitution in female patients with AN in order to investigate their effect on voice condition. Materials and methods126 girls diagnosed with AN (15.32± 2.12yrs, range 12-19, BMI=14.38 ± 1.67), were assessed for the condition of the voice such as perceptual voice evaluation on the GRBAS scale, maximal phonation time (MPT), laryngoscopy, with special attention to voice acoustic analysis - Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP). The control group (B) included 93 girls without eating disturbances (aged 12-19, mean age 15.52 ± 2.40, BMI= 21.50 ± 1.54). Perceptual voice assessment, aerodynamic test MPT, and acoustic parameters were analyzed in age groups (≤16 yrs. and >16 yrs). The human vocal tract is sensitive to sex hormones, so the analysis was carried out in the group up to the age of 16 and above 16 to check possible effects. ResultsGRBAS scale was higher in girls with AN compared to the control group for breathiness (B) (p=0.0002) and asthenia (A) (p<0.05). The median GRBAS scale for the older group of anorexic women was the highest (2.0). The mean MPT for group A was significantly lower (15.40±3.51s). Comparing age subgroups there was a prolongation of MPT in the healthy group (in group ≤16 yrs. and >16 yrs. respectively 21.13s vs 25.40s) and a shortening in the anorectic group (≤16 yrs. vs >16 yrs.: 17.06s vs 14.17s). There was no difference between groups A and C up to 16 years of age, but above 16 years of age appeared (14.17s vs 25.40s). Acoustic analysis revealed lower F0 values in group A and C in older subgroups (215,85Hz vs 236,01Hz - statistically significant), as well as between subgroups both groups (A: 251,38Hz vs 215,85Hz; C: 248,20Hz vs 236,01Hz). A narrowing of the vocal range in girls over 16 yrs in group A was observed. There were no statistically significant differences in F0 between subgroups ≤16 years in groups A and C (251.38Hz vs 248.20Hz). The ENT study found that more than half of the girls (54.55%) over the age of 16 who took hormone supplementation manifested laryngeal structure that was normal for their age, there was no effect of hormone supplementation on any of the MDVP parameters between the drug-taking and non-drug-taking groups. ConclusionsThe acoustic results of the voice in MDVP measurements in adolescent women with AN are not within the normal range and do not mimic the normal developmental changes of the voice. The most important acoustic characteristics of the voice are changes in the fundamental frequency F0 and the range of the voice tended to be more severe in anorectic women >16 years of age and to increase with age, indicating a possible cumulative effect of malnutrition-related disorders as well as hormonal dysfunctions. MDVP can be considered a simple, non-invasive method of assessing the voice organ in AN. MPT differentiated the study groups well: statistically significant differences were noted both between the groups, as well as between age groups. There was no significant effect of oral hormone supplementation on any parameters of the voice. In conclusion, body mass and fat volume in AN may be related to voice production/physiology, affecting voice quality, voice acoustic parameters, voice aerodynamics, and phonatory range in an age-dependent manner. Future studies are needed to assess the long‐term efficacy of estrogen treatment in AN.

Exploring age-related changes in acoustic voice analysis parameters: insights from a study on older people

Exploring age-related changes in acoustic voice analysis parameters: insights from a study on older people

Critical swallowing functions contributing to dysphagia in patients with recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis after esophagectomy.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis (RLNP) after esophagectomy can cause aspiration because of incomplete glottis closure, leading to pneumonia. However, patients with RLNP often have preserved swallowing function. This study investigated factors that determine swallowing function in patients with RLNP. Patients with esophageal cancer who underwent esophagectomy and cervical esophagogastric anastomosis were enrolled between 2017 and 2020. Videofluoroscopic examination of swallowing study (VFSS) and acoustic voice analysis were performed on patients with suspected dysphagia including RLNP. Dysphagia in VFSS was defined as score ≥ 3 of the 8-point penetration-aspiration scale VFSS and acoustic analysis results related to dysphagia were compared between patients with and without RLNP. Among 312 patients who underwent esophagectomy, 74 developed RLNP. The incidence of late-onset pneumonia was significantly higher in the RLNP group than in the non-RLNP (18.9 vs. 8.0%, P = .008). Detailed swallowing function was assessed by VFSS in 84 patients, and patients with RLNP and dysphagia showed significantly shorter maximum diagonal hyoid bone elevation (10.62 vs. 16.75mm; P = .003), which was a specific finding not seen in patients without RLNP. For acoustic voice analysis, the degree of hoarseness was not closely related to dysphagia. The length of oral intake rehabilitation for patients with and without RLNP was comparable if they did not present with dysphagia (8.5 vs. 9.0days). Impaired hyoid bone elevation is a specific dysphagia factor in patients with RLNP, suggesting compensatory epiglottis inversion by hyoid bone elevation is important for incomplete glottis closure caused by RLNP.

Voice acoustic characteristics of children with late-onset cochlear implantation: Correlation to auditory performance

Objectives To study the voice acoustic parameters of congenitally deaf children with delayed access to sounds due to late-onset cochlear implantation and to correlate their voice characteristics with their auditory performance. Methods The study included 84 children: a control group consisting of 50 children with normal hearing and normal speech development; and a study group consisting of 34 paediatric cochlear implant (CI) recipients who had suffered profound hearing loss since birth. According to speech recognition scores and pure-tone thresholds, the study group was further subdivided into two subgroups: 24 children with excellent auditory performance and 10 children with fair auditory performance. The mean age at the time of implantation was 3.6 years for excellent auditory performance group and 3.2 years for fair auditory performance group. Voice acoustic analysis was conducted on all study participants. Results Analysis of voice acoustic parameters revealed a statistically significant delay in both study groups in comparison to the control group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the two study groups. Discussion Interestingly, in both excellent and fair performance study groups, the gap in comparison to normal hearing children was still present. While late-implanted children performed better on segmental perception (e.g. word recognition), suprasegmental perception (e.g. as demonstrated by objective acoustic voice analysis) did not progress to the same extent. Conclusion On the suprasegmental speech performance level, objective acoustic voice measurements demonstrated a significant delay in the suprasegmental speech performance of children with late-onset CI, even those with excellent auditory performance.

Correlation of acoustic voice analysis and Voice Handicap Index in patients with postoperative unilateral vocal cord paralysis after thyroid surgery.

Unilateral vocal cord paralysis is frequently observed in patients who undergo thyroid surgery. This study explored the correlation between acoustic voice analysis (objective measure) and Voice Handicap Index (VHI, a self-assessment tool). One hundred and forty patients who had thyroid surgery with or without postoperative unilateral vocal cord paralysis (PVCP and NPVCP) were included. The patients were evaluated by the VHI and Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) tools. VHI scores were significantly higher in PVCP patients than in NPVCP patients. Jitter (%) and shimmer (%) were significantly increased, whereas DSI was significantly decreased in PVCP patients. Receiver operating characteristics curve revealed that VHI scores were associated with the diagnosis of PVCP, of which VHI total score yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.81. Among acoustic parameters, DSI was highly associated to PVCP (AUC=0.82, 95%CI=0.75 to 0.89). Moreover, we found a correlation between VHI scores and voice acoustic parameters. Among them, DSI had a moderate correlation with functional and VHI scores, as suggested by an R value of 0.41 and 0.49, respectively. VHI scores and acoustic parameters were associated with the diagnosis of PVCP.

Voice and Temporal Auditory Processing in Elderly People: A Correlation Study.

Introduction The voice and hearing can be affected to different degrees by aging, which can cause communication difficulties for elderly people. Vocal production requires effective temporal auditory processing at central levels within the nervous system, which can be compromised by the aging process. Objective To analyze the correlation between voice and temporal auditory processing in older adults. Materials and Methods A total of 40 elderly people aged 60 years or older were subdivided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of vocal symptoms measured by the Voice Symptom Scale. All of the participants were submitted to auditory temporal tests, vocal self-assessment, and acoustic and perceptual auditory analyses of voice. Results Most of the subjects assessed had decreased voice intensity and normal variability in terms of vocal quality. The performance was normal in the Pitch Pattern Sequence test and altered in the Random Gap Detection test. In the Masking Period Pattern test, the detection thresholds for the target signal were increased in the presence of masking in different temporal target signal positions. Only pitch differed between the two groups. There were differences between the genders regarding frequency, shimmer, the overall severity of the alteration, and roughness. There was a correlation regarding temporal resolution ability and the overall severity of the alteration and roughness of the voice. Conclusion There is a central auditory impairment in temporal resolution which is correlated with vocal alterations in the elderly.

Manual Therapy with Neural Mobilization: Immediate Effect on the Vocal Quality of Women with Dysphonia.

To evaluate the immediate effect of neural mobilization on the voice quality, self-perceived phonatory effort, and laryngeal muscles of women with behavioral dysphonia. This is an intrasubject comparative study. The research included 21 women aged 18 to 59 years with vocal complaints. Therefore, the selection of this sample excluded the lower limit of the voice change period and the upper limit of presbyphonia. The participants were assessed by voice acoustic and auditory-perceptual analysis, self-reported vocal effort, and laryngeal palpation performed at three moments: at baseline, after 10 minutes of vocal resting, and after manual therapy. The participants were divided into two groups: the group with 10 minutes of vocal resting (G1) and the group with intervention (G2). The patients in the intervention group underwent manual therapy using neural mobilization in the laryngeal region. For the statistical analysis, a descriptive analysis of the data was performed first with measures of central tendency and dispersion. Subsequently, the Anderson-Darling test was used to verify sample normality. To analyze the difference between three groups were used the parametric One-Way ANOVA or the non-parametric Friedman's test. The McNemar's or chi-squared tests were used to compare categorical variables and to compare an ordinal variable a non-parametric Wilcoxon test was used. The Gwet's AC1 test was used to assess intra-rater agreement in the auditory-perceptual analysis response. Neural mobilization in the laryngeal region showed no positive effects on the acoustic voice parameters and voice quality of women with dysphonia. Phonatory effort improved after neural mobilization in the laryngeal region (p=0.004). There was no significant change in supralaryngeal resistance, lateral laryngeal resistance, and laryngeal position after neural mobilization in the laryngeal region. Neural mobilization improved phonatory comfort but did have any effect on the voice quality and laryngeal musculature of women with dysphonia.

Observations and Considerations for Implementing Remote Acoustic Voice Recording and Analysis in Clinical Practice.

Remote voice recording and acoustic analysis allow for comprehensive voice assessment and outcome tracking without the requirements of travel to the clinic, in-person visit, or expensive equipment. This paper delineates the process and considerations for implementing remote voice recording and acoustic analysis in a high-volume university voice clinic. Clinical Focus. Acoustic voice recordings were attempted on 108 unique patients over a 6-month period using a remote voice recording phone application. Development of the clinical process including determining normative data in which to compare acoustic results, clinician training, and clinical application is described. The treating Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) were surveyed 2 months after implementation to assess ease of application, identify challenges and assess implementation of potential solutions. Of 108 unique patients, 83 patients were successful in completing the process of synchronous remote acoustic voice recording in conjunction with their SLP clinician. The process of downloading the application, setting up, and obtaining voice recordings was most commonly 10-20 minutes according to the 8 SLPs surveyed. Challenges and helpful techniques were identified. Remote acoustic voice recordings have allowed SLPs to continue to complete a comprehensive voice evaluation in a telepractice model. Given emerging knowledge about the viability of remote voice recordings, the success in obtaining acoustic data remotely, and the accessibility of a low-cost app for SLPs makes remote voice recordings a viable option to facilitate remote clinical care and research investigation.

Acoustic Voice Analysis in Children with Speech Sound Disorder and Intellectual Disability

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the acoustic differences associated with the presence of speech sound disorder (SSD) and/or cognitive ability. Methods: Medical records from 2016 to 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The study included children aged 4 to 8 years who had undergone developmental assessments. Based on the assessment results, participants were divided into three groups: children with SSD without intellectual disability (ID), children with SSD and ID, and typically developing (TD) children. Voices were analyzed using the Multidimensional Voice Program (MDVP). Results: The average ages of children with SSD, those with SSD and ID, and those categorized as TD were 61.0±11.4, 62.3±10.7, and 64.2±9.4 months, respectively (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.482). The proportion of children with SSD and ID who also had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was significantly higher (53.3%) than in the other groups (&lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.010). In the MDVP analysis, among values related to fundamental frequency, the number of segments computed was significantly lower in children with SSD and ID compared to the other groups (SSD, 25.0; SSD with ID, 17.0; TD, 19.0; &lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.001). Similarly, the total number of pitch periods detected was significantly lower among those with both SSD and ID (SSD, 230.0; SSD with ID, 152.5; TD, 187.0; &lt;i&gt;P&lt;/i&gt;=0.001). No other parameters significantly differed across groups. Conclusion: Acoustic analysis can reflect voice changes in children with SSD and ID compared to both those with SSD and TD children. Therefore, voice analysis may serve as a supportive screening tool for patients with SSD.

Screening of Voice Pathologies: Identifying the Predictive Value of Voice Acoustic Parameters for Common Voice Pathologies

Voice acoustic analysis is important for objectively assessing voice production and diagnosing voice disorders. This study aimed to investigate the sensitivity of various voice acoustic parameters in differentiating common voice pathology types. Data from the publicly available Perceptual Voice Qualities Database were analyzed; the database includes recordings of participants with and without voice disorders. A wide range of acoustic parameters was estimated from the recordings, such as alpha ratio, harmonics-to-noise ratio (HNR), cepstral peak prominence smoothed (CPPS), pitch period entropy (PPE), fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and sound pressure levels. The predictive capabilities of the parameters were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Linear regression analysis determined the associations between parameters and voice disorders. Principal component analysis was conducted to identify important parameters for distinguishing voice disorders. This study has identified significant differences in acoustic parameters between those with and without voice disorders. Notably, the combination of five parameters-namely, PPE, shimmer, jitter, CPPS, and HNR-was identified as a strong predictor in voice disorder screening. These findings contribute substantially to the field of voice disorders, offering valuable insights for screening and diagnosis.

Impact of the Severity of Reinke's Edema on the Parameters of Voice.

This study aimed to classify the degree of edema in patients with Reinke's edema (RE) and examine its impact on their voice parameters using both objective and subjective assessment methods. Objective and subjective voice data of 104 patients diagnosed with RE between 2018 and 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. RE is classified into 4 groups (types 1, 2, 3, and 4). The evaluation included videolaryngostroboscopic examination, acoustic voice analysis, and aerodynamic measurements, GRBAS, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), Voice-Related Quality of Life Scale (V-RQOL), and Reflux Septum Index (RSI). Patients with type 1 RE had a significantly lower mean age than those with types 3-4. Although there were no significant differences in acoustic and aerodynamic parameters between the groups, it was observed that F0 and the maximum phonation time decreased as the degree of edema increased. The GRBASTotal, G, and R scores of types 1 and 2 were significantly lower than those of types 3 and 4, as were the scores of type 1 S. There were no statistically significant differences between the RE groups in terms of VHI-10, V-RQOL, and RSI scores. It has been observed that as the severity of RE increases, voice perception and quality (especially types 3 and 4) are negatively affected. Determining the degree of edema will guide the clinician in both the planning of the intervention phase and the follow-up phase.

EFFECT OF FACIAL SURGICAL MASKS ON VOCAL PRODUCTION: UNIVERSITY LECTURERS VERSUS UNIVERSITY WORKERS

Introduction: Use of facial masks have been a new habit since the beginning of pandemic. This new habit may lead people the to face difficulties in real life communication. The objective of this study to compare the possible effect of surgical masks on speech intelligibility of University lecturers (Academic Staff) and university workers (Academic Personnel). Methods: Academic Staff and Academic Personnel of a private university were chosen as participants, (n = 32) . Questionnaires about vocal use and mask use were presented to participants and acoustic voice analysis by PRAAT voice analyser software was conducted. Results: Only significant difference was observed in both groups was HNR ratio and breathing and vocal coordination. Other parameters were not significantly different. Conclusion: Use of facial mask may cause incoordination in respiration and voice production, but they did not have an effect on acoustic parameters

Analysis of the clinical efficacy and voice outcomes of CO2 laser resection versus laryngeal microsurgery for vocal cord polyps

Objective To compare CO2 laser resection and laryngeal microsurgery for vocal cord polyps and provide evidence for the optimal surgical method. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study that included 74 patients with vocal cord polyps who underwent either CO2 laser resection or laryngeal microsurgery in our hospital from August 2018 to December 2021. According to their preference, 77 patients were divided into two groups: a CO2 laser resection group (n = 35) and a laryngeal microsurgery group (n = 39). Patients were evaluated two days before surgery, and follow-ups were conducted one, two and four weeks after surgery. The voice handicap index (VHI-10) score, voice acoustic analysis results and electronic laryngoscopy results were collected for each patient, and the differences between the two groups were evaluated. Results The basic demographic characteristics of the 74 patients were comparable, and all patients completed postoperative follow-up observations. A total of 30 (85.71%) patients in the CO2 laser resection group and 22 (56.41%) patients in the laryngeal microsurgery group were healed. The total effectiveness rate of the CO2 laser resection group (94.29%) was significantly higher than that of the laryngeal microsurgery group (82.05%), and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = .037). Both surgical methods had a positive effect on reducing VHI-10 scores with the effect of CO2 laser resection being more obvious. The difference between the two groups in this regard was statistically significant (p < .001). The effects of each surgical method on the average fundamental frequency perturbation (jitter), amplitude perturbation (shimmer), maximum phonation time and dysphonia severity index were not statistically significant (p > .05). Conclusion CO2 laser resection and laryngeal microsurgery have similar effects on voice quality, but CO2 laser resection has higher clinical efficacy.