title: Videolaryngostroboscopy and voice evaluation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Arthritis may affect the larynx and produce symptoms such as hoarseness and vocal fatigue.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper aimed to evaluate the laryngeal manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is prospective study assessed 27 patients with rheumatoid arthritis with the aid of videolaryngostroboscopy, auditory-perceptual analysis of the speech using the GIRBAS scale, acoustic analysis and the Voice Handicap Index questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen patients had laryngeal complaints, the main ones being intermittent dysphonia and sensation of a foreign body in the throat. The most frequent laryngoscopical finding was overlapping arytenoids. Three patients had low pitch, nine patients had mild dysphonia and roughness. Median acoustic measures were: F0, 198.39 Hz; Jitter, 0.815; Shimmer, 4.915; and NHR, 0.144. Regarding the Voice Handicap Index, the median score was zero in all domains. There was a statistically significant correlation between voice complaints and the domains of this index. Functional classes were significantly correlated to: overlapping arytenoids (p = 0.001), PPQ (p = 0.0257), Shimmer (p = 0.0295), APQ (p = 0.0195), and the VHI physical (p = 0.0227) and total domains (p = 0.0425).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laryngeal complaints were reported by 70.4% of the patients and laryngoscopical alterations were observed in 48% of the subjects. Voice acoustic evaluation and self-perception were altered.
authors.affiliation: Head and Neck Surgery Service, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Santos, Ana Costa Hospital, Santos, SP, Brazil. 　mafc@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Mario Augusto Ferrari de
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Rogério Aparecido
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dedivitis
authors.forename: Elio Gilberto
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Pfuetzenreiter Júnior
authors.forename: Ana Paula Brandão
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Débora dos Santos
authors.initials: Ddos S
authors.lastname: Queija
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*