title: Surgical treatment is effective in severe cases of exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction: A follow-up study.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Surgery is an effective treatment in severe cases of supraglottic exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (E-ILO). Conservatively treated subjects and subjects tested negative for E-ILO, who still experience breathing problems 1-3 years after diagnosis, tend to adjust their physical activity to a greater extent than surgically treated subjects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate how symptoms and level of physical activity change over time in patients with E-ILO who have undergone surgery, patients with E-ILO treated conservatively and patients who tested negative for laryngeal obstruction at continuous laryngoscopy exercise-test (CLE-test).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients referred for exercise-induced breathing difficulties answered questionnaires at diagnostic CLE-test and at follow-up. Questions regarded exercise-induced breathing problems, current physical activity level, and medical history of asthma and perennial allergy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 84 invited subjects, 59 (70%) answered both questionnaires. Surgically treated subjects had less breathing problems at follow-up compared with conservatively treated subjects and subjects who tested negative (p < 0.001). None of the surgically treated subjects were less physically active or had changed sport due to exercise-induced dyspnoea, whereas 41.7% of the conservatively treated subjects had made such adjustments (p < 0.001).
authors.affiliation: a 1 Department of Surgical Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery , Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Norlander
authors.affiliation: b 2 Department of Neuroscience, Physiotherapy , Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: c 3 Department of Medical Sciences, Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research , Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christer
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.affiliation: d 4 Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University , Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nordvall
authors.affiliation: a 1 Department of Surgical Sciences, Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery , Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leif
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nordang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058753:Laryngoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: E-ILO; Laryngoplasty; exercice-induced dyspnoea; physical activity; vocal cord dysfunction