Vocal deviation in individuals with suggestive signs and symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux.
Ana Julia Sartori, Régis Dewes, Glaucya Madazio and 2 others
PMID 35239772WHAT IT FOUND
People with signs of laryngopharyngeal reflux mostly had deviated voices, especially rough quality.
Those with deviated voices reported significantly higher scores on voice and reflux symptom scales, particularly for throat clearing and mucus. This links visible laryngeal signs to subjective vocal complaints.
Key findings
01Most individuals with signs of laryngopharyngeal reflux had deviated voices, with rough quality being the most common type.
02Individuals with deviated voices had significantly higher total scores on both the Voice Symptom Scale and the Reflux Symptom Index compared to those with adapted voices.
03Throat clearing and mucus were the most frequently reported and intense symptoms in both assessment protocols.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used laryngoscopy signs rather than pH-metry to define reflux, which may not accurately confirm acid exposure. The design is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that reflux causes the vocal changes or symptoms. Participants were selected based on having symptoms and signs, which likely inflates the prevalence of altered scores compared to the general population.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that all patients with these laryngeal signs have true acid reflux, as the study did not use pH-metry to confirm it. Also, the high symptom scores are associated with voice deviation but do not prove that treating the reflux will resolve the vocal quality.