Acoustic voice analysis does not identify presence of penetration/aspiration as confirmed by videofluoroscopic swallowing study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether acoustic voice analysis can identify the presence of penetration/aspiration (P/A) as confirmed by videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS).


METHODS
Repeated measures within subjects.


METHODS
Rehabilitation department in a tertiary teaching hospital.


METHODS
Patients (N=44) with swallowing disorders referred for VFSS.


METHODS
Patients were asked to sustain phonations /a/ for at least 3 seconds before and after swallowing 5mL of liquid barium during a standardized VFSS. The acoustic voice analysis program was used to analyze vocal quality change.


METHODS
Five acoustic parameters including average fundamental frequency, relative average perturbation, shimmer percentage, noise-to-harmonic ratio, and voice turbulence index were analyzed for each participant before and after swallowing during VFSS. Differences in the pre- and postmeasures were compared between those participants who demonstrated VFSS-confirmed P/A (n=17) and those who did not (n=27).


RESULTS
No significant changes were noted in the 5 acoustic parameters in or between P/A and nonpenetration/aspiration groups (P>.05).


CONCLUSIONS
As used in this study, acoustic voice analysis does not identify the presence of P/A confirmed by VFSS.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Puli Christian Hospital, Nantou, Taiwan.
Hui-Ya
HY
Chang
Pao-Chuan
PC
Torng
Tyng-Guey
TG
Wang
Yeun-Chung
YC
Chang
D000368:Aged; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D014741:Video Recording