Normative Values for the Spanish Version of the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS)

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish normative values for the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) in the Spanish community population (without voice problems), using a sample from a large area of southeastern Spain. Method: The sample consisted of 115 adults from ages 16 to 87, 60 of whom were women and 55 were men. Participants included the family members of patients who attended the Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) and Speech Therapy Clinic at a referral hospital in the region of Murcia, Spain, and some of the clinic's staff. All the participants reported never having suffered from any voice disorder before. Results: The normative values obtained in this study for the VoiSS were 14.61 (SD=8.18) for the total score, 7.57 (SD = 5.42) for the Impairment subscale, 1.04 (SD = 1.65) for the Emotional subscale, and 5.99 (SD = 3.61) for the Physical subscale. The percentile values were also obtained for the VoiSS scale and for its three subscales. Conclusions: This study presents normative values for the VoiSS scale that have not previously been obtained in Spain. These values can be used as a reference to detect possible voice disorders.

Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio fue establecer valores normativos para la escala Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) en población comunitaria española (sin problemas de voz), utilizando una muestra de un área extensa del sureste de España. Metodología: La muestra estuvo compuesta por 115 personas (60 mujeres y 55 hombres) con edades comprendidas entre los 16 y 87 años. Los participantes eran familiares que acompañaron a los pacientes a las sesiones clínicas de ORL y de Logopedia de un hospital de referencia de la Región de Murcia, así como personal del hospital. Todos declararon no padecer ningún trastorno de la voz. Resultados: Los valores normativos obtenidos en este estudio para el VoiSS fueron 14.61 (SD=8.18) para la puntuación total, 7.57 (SD = 5.42) para la subescala Limitación, 1.04 (SD = 1.65) para la subescala Emocional y 5.99 (SD = 3.61) para la subescala Física. Los valores percentílicos se obtuvieron también para la escala VoiSS y para sus tres subescalas. Conclusiones: Este estudio presenta valores normativos para la escala VoiSS que no han sido todavía obtenidos en España. Estos valores pueden utilizarse como referencia para detectar posibles trastornos de voz.

Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) and Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) in the Early Identification of Italian Teachers with Voice Disorders

Abstract Introduction The current Italian law does not include any guidance regarding voice education, prevention of voice disorders and screening in subjects with high vocal loading such as teachers. Objectives We aimed to check the correlation between the Vocal Tract Discomfort Scale (VTDS) with the Voice Symptom Scale (VoiSS) for the evaluation of Italian teachers. In addition, we aimed to investigate whether there are differences in the frequency and intensity of discomfort symptoms in teachers with disabilities comparing vocal tract discomfort symptoms in teachers with high risk (HRVD) and low risk (LRVD) of vocal disorders according to the VoiSS cutoff (> 15.5). Methods We analyzed 160 Italian teachers (111 women and 49 men) that completed the VTDS and VoiSS at vocal evaluation. The Spearman correlation test was applied to all variables. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the average number of discomfort symptoms among HRVD and LRVD teachers. Results A moderate positive correlation was observed between the average number, frequency, and intensity of discomfort symptom and the total score, physical domain score, and limitation domain score of the VoiSS. Only the emotional domain score of the VoiSS showed a weak positive correlation (p< 0.001). Teachers considered in the HRVD group according to the VoiSS score had a higher number, frequency, and intensity of vocal tract discomfort symptoms. Conclusion There is correlation between the VTDS and VoiSS scales. Like the VoiSS, the VTDS is a questionnaire that detects HRVD teachers. Therefore, the results suggest that both questionnaires could be useful for a preventive voice program for Italian teachers

Assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with spasmodic dysphonia

Background: There is paucity of literature regarding health related quality of life in Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD) especially from India. This study assessed HRQoL in it’s global and disease specific aspect by previously validated instruments in patients with SD.Methods: The study was performed in AIIMS, New Delhi. Subjects with SD as well as age and gender matched healthy controls were enrolled from Movement Disorder and botulinum toxin clinic, Department of Neurology, AIIMS, New Delhi. Uneducated patient, those could not read questionnaires & cases who had received botulinum toxin within 6 months were excluded from the study. Each patient filled SF-36, BDI, VoiSS-30 and VPQ questionnaire.Results: 14 pts of Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD) were enrolled. Compared with controls SD patients suffered from statistically significant impaired global health related quality of life (SF36) in areas of role physical (p = 0.007), general health (p = 0.004), social functioning (p = 0.024), role emotion (p = 0.008) and mental health (p=0.039). Patients with SD scored much worse in BDI scale than their control group (12.57±8.0 vs. 4.71±5.0, p=0.005). 65% pt of SD had depression out of whom 14% had moderate depression. SD patient group showed statistically significant impaired scores in disease-specific QOL (VoISS) in 2 out of 3 subscales, impairment (p= <0.001) and emotional (p=<.001) but not in physical (p=0.44). Voice quality of patients with SD was severely affected compared to controls (mean 37± 8.0 vs. 12.9± 1.5).Conclusions: This study clearly demonstrated that patients with SD suffered from significant impairment in HRQoL as compared to controls. Higher proportion of patients with SD suffered from mild to moderate depression compared to their control.