title: Voice handicap index results for older patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia.
abstract: Adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) adversely affects a speaker's ability to effectively communicate. For many individuals suffering with ADSD, botulinum toxin (Botox) is the chosen treatment to remediate the symptoms. Although Botox's effects on symptom remediation have been examined before, patient perception of improvement post-Botox has been examined less frequently. Further, no studies have addressed the symptomatic changes in older adults that occur after Botox treatment. The Voice Handicap Index (VHI) was used as the instrument to assess older patient's (>65 years) perception of how ADSD impacts certain areas of their life pre- and post-Botox injection. The outcome of the VHI was related to a clinical judgment of voice severity. Participants also completed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) to examine overall stress level, and the outcome of the SRRS was correlated to postinjection VHI scores. Results indicated no significant correlation between VHI scores and voice severity or SRRS ratings. The current study suggests further study of voice outcomes with older adults with ADSD is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA. wingate@csd.ufl.edu
authors.forename: Judith M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wingate
authors.forename: Bari Hoffman
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Ruddy
authors.forename: Donna S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lundy
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehman
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casiano
authors.forename: Savita P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Gayle E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Woodson
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sapienza
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014833:Voice Quality
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A