J Korean Soc Laryngol Phoniatr Logoped.  2021 Dec;32(3):124-129. 10.22469/jkslp.2021.32.3.124.

Usefulness of Vocal Fatigue Index for Hypertension of Extrinsic Laryngeal Muscles

• Kim JS
• Lee DW

• KMID: 2523512
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22469/jkslp.2021.32.3.124

Abstract

Background and Objectives
This study compares Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) scores according to the presence or absence of external laryngeal tension in hyperfunctional voice disorder. And through this, it is to confirm the usefulness of VFI to hypertension of extrinsic laryngeal muscles. Materials and Method The subjects were 61 female diagnosed with hyperfunctional voice disorder (hypertension group 41, non-hypertension group 20). The author palpated extrinsic laryngeal muscles for evaluation of hypertension and classified them as the presence or absence. The voice measurements were jitter, shimmer, Korean-Voice Handicap Index-10 (K-VHI-10), and Korean-Vocal Fatigue Index (K-VFI). The voice compared were according to the diagnosis and presence of hypertension only for patients with hyperfunctional voice disorder.
Results
As a result of comparing the voice measurement according to the presence or absence of hypertension, there was no significant difference in the acoustic variables, K-VHI-10 and K-VFI-Total, K-VFI-Fatigue. Whereas, K-VFI-Physical (p=0.006) and K-VFI-Rest (p=0.022) were significantly higher in the hypertension group.
Conclusion
These results indicate that the hypertension group has more physical discomfort and less voice recovery than the group without hypertension. It means that K-VFI can measure the physical discomfort and limitations of voice recovery due to hypertension of the external laryngeal muscle. The VFI can be used as one of the methods to evaluate the hypertension of the external laryngeal muscle in Hyperfunctional voice disorder.

Keyword

Evaluation of laryngeal hypertension; Vocal Fatigue Index; Laryngeal palpation.; 후두과긴장 평가; 음성피로도검사; 후두촉진.