Voice handicap evaluation of patients with pathologic sulcus vocalis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to characterize the psychosocial impact of dysphonia on patients with pathologic sulcus vocalis by use of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI).


METHODS
The VHI was administered to 15 patients (11 women and 4 men) with pathologic sulcus vocalis. The VHI subscale and total scores were compared with previously published data from individuals with no history of dysphonia and from patients with vocal fold scar. Additional comparisons were performed for patients with unilateral sulcus versus bilateral sulci, type II sulcus versus type III sulcus, and sulcus with concomitant vocal fold scar versus sulcus without concomitant scar.


RESULTS
The VHI scores for patients with pathologic sulcus vocalis were significantly greater than those for individuals with no history of dysphonia and for patients with vocal fold scar. In addition, significantly greater VHI scores were observed for patients with sulcus vocalis with concomitant scar versus those with sulcus alone.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that pathologic sulcus vocalis can be a severely handicapping condition, particularly in the presence of concomitant scar.
Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Nathan V
NV
Welham
Seth H
SH
Dailey
Charles N
CN
Ford
Diane M
DM
Bless
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014833:Voice Quality