title: Use of surface electromyography in phonation studies: an integrative review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surface electromyography has been used to assess the extrinsic laryngeal muscles during chewing and swallowing, but there have been few studies assessing these muscles during phonation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the current state of knowledge regarding the use of surface electromyography for evaluation of the electrical activity of the extrinsic muscles of the larynx during phonation by means of an integrative review.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched for articles and other papers in the PubMed, Medline/Bireme, and Scielo databases that were published between 1980 and 2012, by using the following descriptors: surface electromyography and voice, surface electromyography and phonation, and surface electromyography and dysphonia. The articles were selectedon the basis ofinclusion and exclusion criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This was carried out with a cross critical matrix. We selected 27 papers,i.e., 24 articles and 3 theses. The studies differed methodologically with regards to sample size and investigation techniques, making it difficult to compare them, but showed differences in electrical activity between the studied groups (dysphonicsubjects, non-dysphonicsubjects, singers, and others).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electromyography has clinical applicability when technical precautions with respect to application and analysis are obeyed. However, it is necessary to adopt a universal system of assessment tasks and related measurement techniques to allow comparisons between studies.
authors.affiliation: Doctor in Neuropsychiatry and Behaviour Science of Adolescent Health; Speech and Language Pathologist; Voice Specialist ; (Speech and Language Pathologist of the Hospital dos Servidores do Estado de Pernambuco).
authors.forename: Patricia Maria Mendes
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Balata
authors.affiliation: Doctor of Nutrition; Speech and Language Pathologist; Master of Anatomy; Specialist in oral Motricity (Teacher in the Speech and Language Pathology Department of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco).
authors.forename: Hilton Justino da
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Master of Pathology; Physiotherapist (Teacher in the Physiotherapy Department of the Faculdade Estacio do Recife).
authors.forename: Kyvia Juliana Rocha de
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Moraes
authors.affiliation: Master of Pathology; Speech and Language Pathologist; Specialist in oral Motricity (Teacher in the Speech and Language Pathology Department of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte; Doctoral Student in Public Health).
authors.forename: Leandro de Araújo
authors.initials: Lde A
authors.lastname: Pernambuco
authors.affiliation: Doctor of Sciences; Physiotherapist (Teacher in the Anatomy Department of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco).
authors.forename: Sílvia Regina Arruda de
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Moraes
keywords: Dysphonia; Electromyography; Laryngeal Muscles; Phonation