Change of Voice Quality before and after Treatment of Short-Term Therapy with Proton Pump Inhibitor in Laryngopharyngeal Reflux / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to verify that voice analysis could be an alternate tool for the evaluation of proton pump inhibitor treatment of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Twenty-two patients with LPR symptoms underwent laryngoscopy, stroboscopy and their reflux finding index (RFI) were evaluated. Subjective reflux symptom scores (RSS) and voice handicap index (VHI) were completed at the baseline. All patients underwent voice analysis. Thereafter, patients had short-term proton pump inhibitor therapy for 6 weeks. The RFI, RSS, VHI and voice analysis were repeated during the last week of the treatment. RESULTS: RFI was improved and both RSS and VHI were improved after the treatment. RSS and VHI were significantly correlated. In voice analysis, shimmer significantly improved and harmony to noise ratio (HNR) also improved. CONCLUSION: Voice analysis can be indicators of treatment results of laryngopharyngeal reflux disease.