Anumitha Venkatraman, Alexandra Schenck, Susan L Thibeault
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder. Case reports and small-scale survey studies report varied laryngeal deficits in patients with EDS, including arytenoid prolapse and vocal fold hypermobility. However, data on specific voice-related symptomology as well as social and functional voice-related limitations in EDS are lacking. Our study delineated specific voice symptomology of EDS and the impact of dysphonia on quality of life.
Method: Participants with a diagnosis of EDS, between the ages of 18 and 89 years, completed an online questionnaire that collected demographics, frequency of voice problems, social voice-related impact, and voice treatment services sought.
Results: Participants with EDS (n = 478, average age: 41.56 + 13.17 years, 423 women, 26 men, 29 identifying as other) completed the survey. Approximately 86.9% (n = 380) reported history of voice problems, with a higher proportion of females (83% women, 61% men, 41% identifying as other, p < .001), but no differences in age (p = .765) or education level (p = .810) between those reporting voice problems versus not. Acute voice problems were more common (63.9%, p < .001). Of the 400/478 participants with EDS who reported a current voice problem, 91%-97% had social limitations or absences from school or work, with only 20.25% seeking speech-language pathology services (p < .001). Participants seeking speech-language pathology services for their current voice problem reported frequent hoarseness and throat clearing (p = .003) compared to those not seen by a speech-language pathologist.
Conclusions: Voice problems were prevalent among participants with EDS in our survey cohort. Participants reported specific voice symptomology and social and work limitations. These data lay the groundwork for the development of early screening procedures and improved voice treatment for this population.
期刊介绍：
Mission: AJSLP publishes peer-reviewed research and other scholarly articles on all aspects of clinical practice in speech-language pathology. The journal is an international outlet for clinical research pertaining to screening, detection, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan as well as the etiologies and characteristics of these disorders. Because of its clinical orientation, the journal disseminates research findings applicable to diverse aspects of clinical practice in speech-language pathology. AJSLP seeks to advance evidence-based practice by disseminating the results of new studies as well as providing a forum for critical reviews and meta-analyses of previously published work.
Scope: The broad field of speech-language pathology, including aphasia; apraxia of speech and childhood apraxia of speech; aural rehabilitation; augmentative and alternative communication; cognitive impairment; craniofacial disorders; dysarthria; fluency disorders; language disorders in children; speech sound disorders; swallowing, dysphagia, and feeding disorders; and voice disorders.
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