title: Laryngeal findings and voice quality in Sjögren's syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effect of Sjögren syndrome (SS) on perceptual ratings of the laryngeal findings using the Reflux Finding Score (RFS) and the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) and the objective voice quality using Jitter (JITT), Pitch Period Perturbation Quotient (PPQ), Shimmer (Shim), Amplitude Perturbation Quotient (APQ) and Noise-to-Harmonic Ratio (NHR) was examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven patients with SS and seventy-seven healthy individuals for the control group were studied. The Reflux Symptom Index (RSI); nine-item outcomes instrument for assessment of symptoms in patients and the Reflux Finding Score (RFS), eight-item laryngoscopic-based scale for evaluation of laryngeal findings in patients were realised. The Multi Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) was used for capturing and analysis of the voice samples. For comparison of all parameters of patients and control group subjects, the independent sample t-test was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The difference of RSI and RFS between patients with SS and control subjects was statistically significant. The difference of voice quality parameters between patients with SS and control subjects expect NHR were statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a significant association between SS and a variety of laryngeal pathologies. The SS patients with reflux symptoms and voice problems must be examined by an ENT specialist and local laryngeal manifestations of SS can be treated symptomatically.
authors.affiliation: Ege University, Medical Faculty, ENT Department, Izmir Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ogut
authors.forename: Rasit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Midilli
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oder
authors.forename: Erkan Zeki
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Engin
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karci
authors.forename: Yasemin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kabasakal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D014833:Voice Quality