title: Use Videostrobokymography to Quantitatively Analyze the Vibratory Characteristics Before and After Conservative Medical Treatment of Vocal Fold Leukoplakia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantitatively analyze the vibratory characteristics of vocal folds before and after conservative treatments to evaluate the outcomes of conservative treatments for vocal fold leukoplakia using videostrobokymography (VSK).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty patients and 20 controls were enrolled into the study. All patients received conservative treatments for 3 weeks and received VSK examination before and 3 weeks after the treatments. All controls only received VSK examination once. Vocal fold lengths of 25%, 50%, and 75% were chosen as the line-scan positions to evaluate the vocal fold vibration. Open quotient (OQ) and asymmetry index (AI) were obtained using VSK.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements in the main symptoms including voice hoarseness were found. Videostroboscopic findings showed that the white lesions on the vocal folds almost completely disappeared in all patients, and the vocal fold flexibility returned to normal. All OQs and AIs at each line-scan position in patients before the treatments were larger than those in controls (P < 0.017), whereas all OQs and AIs at each line-scan position decreased 3 weeks after conservative treatments (P < 0.017). No significant differences in OQs and AIs at each line-scan position were detected between patients after the treatments and controls (P > 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VSK could quantitatively evaluate the vibratory characteristics of vocal folds before and after the treatments, and conservative treatment could improve VSK measurements to normal control values, suggesting that VSK is a tool to assess the outcomes of the conservative treatments for vocal fold leukoplakia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: beny51@126.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Wang
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Li-Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ouyang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007734:Kymography; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D007971:Leukoplakia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D049489:Stroboscopy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014732:Vibration; D014741:Video Recording; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D014833:Voice Quality
keywords: Conservative treatment; Leukoplakia; Vibratory characteristics; Videostrobokymography; Vocal fold