title: Voice Disorders: Etiology and Diagnosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Voice disorders affect adults and children and have different causes in different age groups. The aim of the study is to present the etiology and diagnosis dysphonia in a large population of patients with this voice disorder.for dysphonia of a large population of dysphonic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated 2019 patients with dysphonia who attended the Voice Disease ambulatories of a university hospital. Parameters assessed were age, gender, profession, associated symptoms, smoking, and videolaryngoscopy diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 2019 patients with dysphonia who were included in this study, 786 were male (38.93%) and 1233 were female (61.07). The age groups were as follows: 1-6 years (n = 100); 7-12 years (n = 187); 13-18 years (n = 92); 19-39 years (n = 494); 41-60 years (n = 811); and >60 years (n = 335). Symptoms associated with dysphonia were vocal overuse (n = 677), gastroesophageal symptoms (n = 535), and nasosinusal symptoms (n = 497). The predominant professions of the patients were domestic workers, students, and teachers. Smoking was reported by 13.6% patients. With regard to the etiology of dysphonia, in children (1-18 years old), nodules (n = 225; 59.3%), cysts (n = 39; 10.3%), and acute laryngitis (n = 26; 6.8%) prevailed. In adults (19-60 years old), functional dysphonia (n = 268; 20.5%), acid laryngitis (n = 164; 12.5%), and vocal polyps (n = 156; 12%) predominated. In patients older than 60 years, presbyphonia (n = 89; 26.5%), functional dysphonia (n = 59; 17.6%), and Reinke's edema (n = 48; 14%) predominated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this population of 2019 patients with dysphonia, adults and women were predominant. Dysphonia had different etiologies in the age groups studied. Nodules and cysts were predominant in children, functional dysphonia and reflux in adults, and presbyphonia and Reinke's edema in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: rmartins@fmb.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Regina Helena Garcia
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Botucatu Medical School, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henrique Abrantes
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: do Amaral
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elaine Lara Mendes
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maira Garcia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiana Maria
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery Department, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP-Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Norimar Hernandes
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Dias
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014741:Video Recording; D014833:Voice Quality; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dysphonia; Epidemiology; Etiology; Hoarseness; Voice disorders