Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation

INTRODUCTION: Dysphonia is a potential long-term complication of preterm birth. Childhood voice disorders caused by vocal hyperfunction resolve with pubertal changes to the vocal mechanism in many cases. In extremely preterm children, whose voice quality is affected by supraglottic hyperfunction ada...

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Main Authors: Reynolds, Mary, Meldrum, S., Simmer, K., Vijayasekaran, S., French, N.
Format: Journal Article
Published: 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/59578
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author Reynolds, Mary
Meldrum, S.
Simmer, K.
Vijayasekaran, S.
French, N.
author_facet Reynolds, Mary
Meldrum, S.
Simmer, K.
Vijayasekaran, S.
French, N.
author_sort Reynolds, Mary
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description INTRODUCTION: Dysphonia is a potential long-term complication of preterm birth. Childhood voice disorders caused by vocal hyperfunction resolve with pubertal changes to the vocal mechanism in many cases. In extremely preterm children, whose voice quality is affected by supraglottic hyperfunction adapted secondary to underlying structural laryngeal pathology sustained during neonatal intubation, the prognosis is unknown. METHODS: A pilot study was conducted to assess the incidence and severity of dysphonia in children born at < 25 weeks' gestation. Ten individuals, aged between 9.67 and 17.08 years, presented for repeat assessment in a replication and extension of the original study. The mean period between assessments was 2.85 (SD 0.38) years. The primary outcome measure was the severity score on the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V), with the Acoustic Voice Quality Index score as the secondary outcome measure. Scores on the Pediatric Voice Handicap Index were also compared. RESULTS: Perceptual dysphonia severity scores were significantly lower on repeat assessment, but no differences were observed in objective or quality of life scores. Individual variation was observed: the difference in CAPE-V scores ranged from -36 to + 1. No participant presented with normal voice quality on repeat assessment. DISCUSSION: Analysis of group data masked individual variability in this series. Mechanisms underlying such individual variation are currently unknown. These data suggest that dysphonia is persistent in extremely preterm children. CONCLUSION: Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the progression of voice disorders in extremely preterm children, to inform prognostic predictors and treatment decisions.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-595782017-12-10T12:41:10Z Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation Reynolds, Mary Meldrum, S. Simmer, K. Vijayasekaran, S. French, N. INTRODUCTION: Dysphonia is a potential long-term complication of preterm birth. Childhood voice disorders caused by vocal hyperfunction resolve with pubertal changes to the vocal mechanism in many cases. In extremely preterm children, whose voice quality is affected by supraglottic hyperfunction adapted secondary to underlying structural laryngeal pathology sustained during neonatal intubation, the prognosis is unknown. METHODS: A pilot study was conducted to assess the incidence and severity of dysphonia in children born at < 25 weeks' gestation. Ten individuals, aged between 9.67 and 17.08 years, presented for repeat assessment in a replication and extension of the original study. The mean period between assessments was 2.85 (SD 0.38) years. The primary outcome measure was the severity score on the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE-V), with the Acoustic Voice Quality Index score as the secondary outcome measure. Scores on the Pediatric Voice Handicap Index were also compared. RESULTS: Perceptual dysphonia severity scores were significantly lower on repeat assessment, but no differences were observed in objective or quality of life scores. Individual variation was observed: the difference in CAPE-V scores ranged from -36 to + 1. No participant presented with normal voice quality on repeat assessment. DISCUSSION: Analysis of group data masked individual variability in this series. Mechanisms underlying such individual variation are currently unknown. These data suggest that dysphonia is persistent in extremely preterm children. CONCLUSION: Further investigation is warranted to elucidate the progression of voice disorders in extremely preterm children, to inform prognostic predictors and treatment decisions. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/59578 10.3109/14015439.2015.1054307 restricted
spellingShingle Reynolds, Mary
Meldrum, S.
Simmer, K.
Vijayasekaran, S.
French, N.
Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation
title Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation
title_full Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation
title_fullStr Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation
title_full_unstemmed Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation
title_short Dysphonia in extremely preterm children: A longitudinal observation
title_sort dysphonia in extremely preterm children: a longitudinal observation
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/59578