Professional paper
Voice Quality in Parkinson’s Disease in the Croatian Language Speakers
Vladimir Bauer
Zorica Alerić
Ervin Jančić
Vesna Miholović
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is well known to cause voice impairments. The aim of this study is to evaluate subjective and
objective changes in voice quality in patients with PD in Croatian language speakers. Twenty one patients (11 male and
10 female) with PD and twenty one age-matched (10 male and 11 female) of the control group were assessed. Voice impairment
was scored according to Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Patient’s perceptual voice analysis was assessed usinng
GRBAS scale including Grade of Dysphonia, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia and Strain items. The analysed objective
voice parametars were: fundamental frequency, highest frequency, lowest frequency, voice range, jitter, shimmer,
maximum phonation time and s/z ratio. In all patients we performed videolaryngostroboscopic examination. Compared
with the control group we found the significant diferences in VHI, in GRBAS scale (p<0.05 in all items except asthenia).
On videostroboscopic examination, laryngeal tremor was present only in PD group (6 patients), abnormalities of the
mucosal wave was found more frequent in PD group (17 versus 8 patients) and also non-closure glotic pattern (11 versus
6 patients). There was no significant diference in the objective voice parametars except in maximum phonation time wich
was shorter in PD group (15.8 seconds and 23 seconds, p=0.014) and voice range,wich was shorter in PD group(111 Hz
versus 147 Hz, p=0.0465) No one of patients with PD was included in any form of speech therapy.The voice disability in
PD is generaly well known, but very often underestimated. In this study we found wich components of voice were more
afected. The voice quality has a significant impact on life quality and potential in assessment for severity of disease state
and for the efficacy of treatment.
Keywords
Parkinson’s disease; voice; voice handicap index; speach acoustic
Hrčak ID:
72268
URI
Publication date:
25.9.2011.
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