Substernal goiter and laryngopharyngeal reflux

ABSTRACT Objective This study aims to compare the prevalence of laryngopharyngeal reflux signs between two groups of patients undergoing thyroidectomy for voluminous goiter: substernal goiters and voluminous cervical goiter without thoracic extension. Subjects and methods A retrospective case-control study was performed with data retrieved of the charts of the patients submitted to thyroidectomies occurred at a tertiary care center (Head and Neck Surgery Department, University of São Paulo Medical School) between 2010 and 2014. The selected thyroidectomies were allocated in two groups for study: patients with substernal goiters and patients with voluminous cervical goiter without thoracic extension. Cervical goiters were selected by ultrasonography mensuration. Clinical criterion was used to define substernal goiter. Results The average thyroid volume in patients with substernal goiter was significantly greater than the average volume in patients with only cervical goiter (p < 0.001). The prevalence of signs of reflux laryngitis at laryngoscopy was significantly greater in substernal goiter patients (p = 0.036). Moreover, substernal goiter was considered as the unique independent variable for high reflux laryngitis signs at laryngoscopy (OR = 2.75; CI95%: 1.05-7.20; p = 0.039) when compared to only cervical goiter patients. Conclusion This study shows a significant association between substernal goiters and signs of laryngopharyngeal reflux at preoperative laryngoscopy. Therefore, when compared with voluminous cervical goiters, the substernal goiters increase the chance of reflux laryngitis signs in patients.

Relação entre a presença de sinais videolaringoscópicos sugestivos de refluxo laringofaríngeo e distúrbio de voz em professoras / Relationship between the presence of videolaryngoscopic signs suggestive of laryngopharyngeal reflux and voice disorders in teachers

RESUMO Objetivo Analisar a relação entre a presença de sinais videolaringoscópicos sugestivos de refluxo laringofaríngeo (RLF) e distúrbio de voz (DV) em professoras. Métodos Pesquisa de natureza transversal, com amostra por conveniência que teve, como critérios de inclusão, ter mais de 18 anos, ser professor do sexo feminino, procurar atendimento com queixa de DV e/ou de RLF. Os fatores de exclusão foram: ser fumante e apresentar alterações respiratórias. Todos os sujeitos preencheram os seguintes instrumentos: Condição de Produção Vocal – Professor (CPV-P), inclusive o Índice de Triagem para Distúrbio de Voz (ITDV), e o Índice de Desvantagem Vocal (IDV). Fez-se coleta de amostra de fala para avaliação perceptivo-auditiva da voz e todas foram submetidas à avaliação otorrinolaringológica. Resultados Foram avaliadas 121 professoras, com média de idade de 43 anos e de 7,8 horas-aula por dia. Somente 24% das professoras não apresentaram lesões em pregas vocais e 42,1% apresentaram sinais videolaringoscópicos sugestivos de RLF. No grupo de professoras com presença de sinais de RLF, os sintomas do ITDV mais relatados foram garganta seca, rouquidão, pigarro, e a média do IDV foi de 17,9 pontos. Não houve associação entre distúrbio de voz e presença de sinais videolaringoscópicos sugestivos de RLF. Na análise de regressão logística binária múltipla, os fatores independentes para o RLF foram idade e escore (tercil: 13-20) do IDV. Conclusão Não houve associação entre o DV e o RLF e sim entre idade e escore IDV.

ABSTRACT Objective To analyze the relationship between the presence of videolaryngoscopic signs suggestive of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and voice disorder (VD) in teachers. Methods this is a cross-sectional study with convenience sample and inclusion criteria as subjects 18 years or older, be a teacher female, seek care with complaint of VD and/or LPR. The exclusion criteria included smoking and presence of respiratory changes. All subjects concluded the following instruments: Vocal Production Condition - Teacher (VPC-T), including the Screening Index for Voice Disorder (SIVD); and Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Speech samples were collected for voice perceptual assessment and all of them were submitted to otorhinolaryngology review. Results We evaluated 121 teachers, with a mean age of 43 years and 7.8 class hours per day. Only 24.0% of the teachers did not have vocal cord lesions and 42.1% had videolaryngoscopic signs suggestive of LPR. In the group of teachers with presence of Signs suggestive of LPR, the most common symptoms of SIVD were dry throat, hoarseness, throat clearing; the average VHI was 17.9 points. There was no association between voice disorder and presence of videolaryngoscopic signs suggestive of LPR. The independent factors for the LPR in the multiple binary logistic regression analysis were age and VHI score (tertile: 13-20). Conclusion There was no association between VD and LPR, but between age and VHI score.