Acoustic and electroglottographic voice characteristics in chronic cough and paradoxical vocal fold movement.
OBJECTIVE
Chronic cough (CC) and paradoxical vocal fold movement (PVFM) may be associated with voice problems. Objective acoustic and electroglottographic (EGG) measures have the capacity to delineate these vocal characteristics. This study investigated acoustic and EGG voice features of CC and PVFM.


METHODS
Acoustic and EGG findings were compared among 5 groups of participants. The first 3 groups, CC (n = 56), PVFM (n = 8) and combined CC-PVFM (n = 55), included individuals with cough and respiratory symptoms that persisted despite medical treatment. Groups 4 and 5 included individuals with muscle tension dysphonia (n = 25) and healthy controls (n = 27).


RESULTS
Participants with CC/PVFM recorded reduced phonation times (p < 0.001), greater jitter (p < 0.001), reduced harmonic to noise ratio (p = 0.001), reduced phonation range (p = 0.007) and shorter closed phase of vocal fold vibration (p = 0.006) in comparison to healthy controls. Females with CC had reduced fundamental frequency in connected speech (p = 0.009). There was consistent overlap between the participants with CC and those with PVFM. Duration of closed phase and fundamental frequency were lower in the participants with CC and PVFM than in those with muscle tension dysphonia.


CONCLUSIONS
These results confirm abnormalities in acoustic and EGG voice features in CC and PVFM.
Speech Pathology Department, Hunter Medical Research Institute, John Hunter Hospital, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia. anne.vertigan@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Anne E
AE
Vertigan
Deborah G
DG
Theodoros
Alison L
AL
Winkworth
Peter G
PG
Gibson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003371:Cough / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001239:Inhalation; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014833:Voice Quality