A Measure of the Auditory-perceptual Quality of Strain from Electroglottographic Analysis of Continuous Dysphonic Speech: Application to Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia.

The within-speaker strain finding came from only nine ADSD samples selected for high strain variability, so it may not apply to patients with milder or more uniform symptoms. ADSD speakers were selected from a screened pool of 40 for relatively severe symptoms, which limits generalisation to all ADSD presentations. The study did not test whether electroglottographic parameters can diagnose ADSD or measure symptom severity accurately. Rater agreement for identifying strained syllables was fair, and samples with low strain variability were excluded because no consensus could be reached. The conclusions are limited to adductor spasmodic dysphonia and may not extend to other hyperfunctional voice disorders. Electroglottographic signals can be degraded by neck adipose tissue, very strained voices, ventricular fold contact, or mucus bridges.

Do not conclude that electroglottography can diagnose adductor spasmodic dysphonia or reliably identify strained voice in all patients. Mean electroglottographic parameters did not separate ADSD speakers from normal speakers, and the within-speaker opening slope finding came from a small selected sample with high strain variability.