title: Electroglottography in fasting subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To make a comparative analysis on the closed quotient (CQ) of the sustained vowel /e/ while fasting and nonfasting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 20 male subjects were enrolled. The mean age was 30.45 ± 8.79 years with a range of 20-48 years. The mean weight while nonfasting was 79.66 ± 12.91 kg and while fasting was 78.51 ± 12.70 kg. Demographic data included age, history of smoking, and weight. All subjects were evaluated while fasting and nonfasting. All subjects underwent laryngeal electroglottography while phonating the vowel /e/ at a comfortable pitch and loudness. The mean CQ, range, and standard deviations were computed while fasting and nonfasting. The degree of phonatory effort and vocal fatigue was also reported on a scale of 0-3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The difference in weight while fasting and nonfasting was statistically significant (P=0.001). There was no significant difference between the mean CQ while fasting versus nonfasting (44.49 ± 1.15 and 44.30 ± 1.41, P=0.94). The difference in the mean grade of phonatory effort was borderline significant (P=0.059) with 40% of the subjects having an increase in effort. With respect to vocal fatigue, there was an increase in the average while fasting by 0.25, which was statistically nonsignificant (P=0.109).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean CQ during sustained /e/ is not affected by fasting. The presence of increased vocal effort and vocal fatigue could be secondary either to dehydration or respiratory muscle fatigue accompanying the weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. Electronic address: ds28@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Abdul-Latif
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hamdan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Jihad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nassar
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dowli
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Zeid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Al Zaghal
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Abla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sibai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004568:Electrodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D005215:Fasting; D005931:Glottis / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation / Q000502:physiology*; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D014833:Voice Quality; D014834:Voice Training; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Electroglottography; Fasting; Vocal folds