ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Several etiologies for vocal cord dysfunction (VCD), a syndrome of dyspnea, noisy breathing, and inspiratory vocal cord closure are suggested; there is no consensus on the predisposition to its development. One previously identified psychiatric etiology is combat stress. METHODS: A retrospective review of military personnel evaluated at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center with a new VCD diagnosis post-deployment was conducted. Medical records were reviewed for existing pulmonary, sinus, esophageal, or psychiatric disorders and determined their VCD evaluation. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were identified with VCD symptoms after combat deployment. For military personnel with VCD, symptoms were associated with several etiologies. Fifty-two percent reported symptoms were related to high stress/anxiety, whereas 39% reported symptoms during exercise; 16% had onset with acute respiratory illness and 7% were trauma related. The combination of a truncated inspiratory flow volume loop and negative methacholine challenge had a 72% positive predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: Common etiologies with VCD onset during deployment are anxiety/stress, exercise, or combination of factors. Spirometry with abnormal flow volume loop plus negative methacholine challenge testing offers a reasonable predictive value for diagnosing VCD. For deployed military with these findings, laryngoscopy for upper airway disorders should be conducted.
Subject(s)
Military Personnel/psychology , Stress, Psychological/complications , Vocal Cord Dysfunction/etiology , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Severity of Illness Index , Spirometry , Vocal Cord Dysfunction/diagnosis , Vocal Cord Dysfunction/physiopathologyABSTRACT
The concept of evidence-based medicine (EBM), defined as the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values, is essential to the review, understanding, and application of clinical principles into the practice of medicine. Critical appraisal includes recognizing and evaluating various study designs and their ranking in order of priority, judging relevance to the question at hand, identifying potential sources of bias, and determining whether the data presentation, statistical analysis, and conclusions are appropriate. The focus of this article is on the quality of the evidence and how each step in critical appraisal is important to the overall concept and application of EBM.
