Acoustic analysis of female voices from childhood to menopause

The female human larynx is affected by various factors, some of which are age, development, diseases and medications. Also her life cycle is strongly related to hormonal changes. Varying dynamics of the three sex hormones [progesterone, estrogen and androgen] unfold at different life phases, starting at puberty fluctuating during reproductive years and dramatically declining at menopause. The aim of this work was to study objectively the physiological voice changes that occur throughout the female lifespan using acoustic analysis. Hundred healthy females were randomly selected from the outpatient clinic of the Phoniatric Unit in Kasr El-Aini Hospital. All females were healthy family members of children paying regular visits to the outpatient clinic. The females were then divided into four major groups according to age. Results showed that children had the highest mean fundamental frequency levels, while adolescents had the highest degree of voice instability. Finally postmenopausal females showed a significant drop in their mean fundamental frequency

Effect of steroidal treatment in asthma on voice

Corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment in bronchial asthma, unfortunately, they have systemic and local side effects, among which is dysphonia. The aim of this work was to study the effect of steroid therapy [inhaled or oral] used by asthmatics on voice. In this study 40 asthmatic patients, 20 patients were treated with steroids [inhaled or oral] and 20 patients were not treated with steroids, in addition to 20 control subjects were included. All patients were examined by laryngoscope, acoustic and aerodynamic studies. Examination revealed hazardous effects on vocal folds and subsequently on voice in patients on oral steroids. In addition, some asthmatics not receiving steroid therapy showed also ventricular hypertrophy and bilateral vocal fold nodules that led to voice changes. However, patients on inhaled steroids did not show any voice problems. Thus it is recommended a regular checking up of the vocal folds of asthmatic patients especially those on steroid therapy for early detection of any pathology even before any clinical manifestation appears