Neck circumference and acoustic parameters of the voice

Publication date: Available online 25 March 2017
Source:Revista de Logopedia, Foniatría y Audiología
Author(s): Lourdes Bernadete Rocha de Souza, Gabriela da Silva Rocha, Deysianne Meira da Silva Lima
IntroductionObesity is recognized as a worldwide epidemic. As such, it has consequences for the quality of life of a person and is related to physiological changes that modify body functioning, including vocal production and its normal parameters.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between neck circumference and the acoustic parameters of the voice in women with morbid obesity.MethodAn observational, cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on a sample of 23 morbidly obese women and 19 women without obesity. Voice recording was performed using the acoustic analysis software ANAGRAF^® on a laptop with attached external microphone. To extract the values of the fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonic noise ratio, participants were requested to sustain the emission of the vowel [a], with the usual intensity and pitch. To extract the maximum phonation time, the participants were asked to prolong the vowels [a], [i] and [u] in the usual intensity and pitch. The neck circumference was measured using a paper measuring tape placed perpendicular to the long axis of the neck just below the larynx prominence. The Mann–Whitney test was performed on the data in order to detect differences between groups in relation to the study variables.ResultsThe variables that had a significant difference between the groups were, the maximum phonation time and the shimmer acoustic parameter. The fundamental frequency and jitter showed different values in the obese group, although this relationship was not statistically significant.ConclusionThe increase in neck circumference can produce changes in the acoustic parameters of the voice of morbidly obese women.



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Neck circumference and acoustic parameters of the voice

Publication date: Available online 25 March 2017
Source:Revista de Logopedia, Foniatría y Audiología
Author(s): Lourdes Bernadete Rocha de Souza, Gabriela da Silva Rocha, Deysianne Meira da Silva Lima
IntroductionObesity is recognized as a worldwide epidemic. As such, it has consequences for the quality of life of a person and is related to physiological changes that modify body functioning, including vocal production and its normal parameters.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between neck circumference and the acoustic parameters of the voice in women with morbid obesity.MethodAn observational, cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on a sample of 23 morbidly obese women and 19 women without obesity. Voice recording was performed using the acoustic analysis software ANAGRAF^® on a laptop with attached external microphone. To extract the values of the fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonic noise ratio, participants were requested to sustain the emission of the vowel [a], with the usual intensity and pitch. To extract the maximum phonation time, the participants were asked to prolong the vowels [a], [i] and [u] in the usual intensity and pitch. The neck circumference was measured using a paper measuring tape placed perpendicular to the long axis of the neck just below the larynx prominence. The Mann–Whitney test was performed on the data in order to detect differences between groups in relation to the study variables.ResultsThe variables that had a significant difference between the groups were, the maximum phonation time and the shimmer acoustic parameter. The fundamental frequency and jitter showed different values in the obese group, although this relationship was not statistically significant.ConclusionThe increase in neck circumference can produce changes in the acoustic parameters of the voice of morbidly obese women.



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Neck circumference and acoustic parameters of the voice

Publication date: Available online 25 March 2017
Source:Revista de Logopedia, Foniatría y Audiología
Author(s): Lourdes Bernadete Rocha de Souza, Gabriela da Silva Rocha, Deysianne Meira da Silva Lima
IntroductionObesity is recognized as a worldwide epidemic. As such, it has consequences for the quality of life of a person and is related to physiological changes that modify body functioning, including vocal production and its normal parameters.ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between neck circumference and the acoustic parameters of the voice in women with morbid obesity.MethodAn observational, cross-sectional comparative study was conducted on a sample of 23 morbidly obese women and 19 women without obesity. Voice recording was performed using the acoustic analysis software ANAGRAF^® on a laptop with attached external microphone. To extract the values of the fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer, and harmonic noise ratio, participants were requested to sustain the emission of the vowel [a], with the usual intensity and pitch. To extract the maximum phonation time, the participants were asked to prolong the vowels [a], [i] and [u] in the usual intensity and pitch. The neck circumference was measured using a paper measuring tape placed perpendicular to the long axis of the neck just below the larynx prominence. The Mann–Whitney test was performed on the data in order to detect differences between groups in relation to the study variables.ResultsThe variables that had a significant difference between the groups were, the maximum phonation time and the shimmer acoustic parameter. The fundamental frequency and jitter showed different values in the obese group, although this relationship was not statistically significant.ConclusionThe increase in neck circumference can produce changes in the acoustic parameters of the voice of morbidly obese women.



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The Reported Incidence and Nature of Voice Disorders in the Private Healthcare Context of Gauteng

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Kayla Fourie, Maeve Richardson, Jeannie van der Linde, Shabnam Abdoola, Renata Mosca
ObjectivesThe study aimed to determine the incidence and nature of voice disorders, as reported by ear, nose, and throat specialists (ENTs), in the Gauteng private healthcare context.Study DesignThis is a cross-sectional survey design.MethodsThe respondents had to be certified ENTs working in the private healthcare context in Gauteng. The survey was sent out electronically to all 94 ENTs, registered with the ENT Society, working in the private healthcare context; thus, no additional requirements had to be met. The survey inquired about the total number of referrals from January 2015 to January 2016, the total number of referrals who were diagnosed with a voice disorder, as well as information regarding the patients such as the nature of the voice disorders.ResultsOf the 94 surveys sent out, 24 of them were completed (25.5%). The incidence of voice disorders reported was 5.2%. The most commonly diagnosed voice disorder is acute laryngitis (32%). The majority of ENTs (75%) received referrals from general practitioners and referred to speech-language pathologists if the patient presented with a voice disorder.ConclusionsThe results from this study may enable healthcare professionals to adequately plan service delivery resource allocations to provide appropriate services. Additional studies are required to examine the incidence of voice disorders in the public healthcare context as well as the prevalence of voice disorders in Gauteng.



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Evaluation of the Grafted Fascia in the Vocal Fold of Dogs: A Histologic Study

Publication date: Available online 23 March 2017
Source:Journal of Voice
Author(s): Eduardo G.B. Carvalho, Henrique F. Pauna, Almiro J. Machado, Ester M.D. Nicola, Albina M.A.M. Altemani, Agrício N. Crespo
IntroductionThere is no consensus on the ideal graft for medialization surgery of the vocal folds in the literature. One of the most favorable proposals is the use of autologous fascia, which seems limited by the lack of information regarding the integration of grafted tissue. Our study aims to evaluate the degree of fully engrafted fascia integration in the vocal fold lamina propria of dogs.Materials and MethodsFourteen adult mongrel dogs that underwent intravenous general anesthesia were selected and kept under spontaneous ventilation. A fascia lata fragment of 4 cm² was obtained from the right leg of each dog. The dogs underwent laryngoscopy; a 3 mm incision was made in the vocal process, next to the vestibular process, and the fascia was grafted into the right vocal fold. The left vocal fold was used as a control. The animals were divided into two groups: group A, evaluated after 2 months of the procedure, and group B, evaluated after 6 months of the procedure. Histologic analysis was made semiquantitatively regarding the presence of inflammatory reaction, fibrosis, and neovascularization.ResultsOur final studied group comprised 12 dogs. Microscopic examination of the larynx revealed the absence of any detectable inflammation in the incision site. The lamina propria of the grafted vocal fold showed identifiable compact, thick, and eosinophilic collagen bands. The surrounding tissue showed thin collagen bands with some organization, similar to the contralateral vocal fold.ConclusionThe grafted fascia integrates into the vocal fold lamina propria and seems not to cause inflammatory reaction response.



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