title: Longitudinal Voice Outcomes After Voice Therapy in Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the long-term effectiveness of voice therapy in vocal outcomes of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) and vocal productions of patients with long-standing treatment-naïve UVFP treated with voice therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A voice therapy protocol was applied individually in three stages. Fifteen sessions were scheduled twice a week in 70 patients with UVFP. Forty-seven patients were treated within a year of the diagnosis (group 1). The remaining patients had delayed therapy (at least 1 year after diagnosis) (group 2). Multidisciplinary assessment included nasofibroscopy, videostroboscopy, acoustic and aerodynamic parameters, and perception of voice impairment measures. A subgroup of the 70 patients (n = 32) was reassessed after 1 year of follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our voice therapy protocol significantly improved voice productions and perception of voice impairment in group 1 (P < 0.0001). Patients in group 2 experienced less hoarseness and had improved perception of voice impairment (P = 0.007). The improvement was long lasting and persisted at 1 year of follow-up in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Voice therapy is effective in patients with UVFP and its benefits are sustained over time. Early referral for voice therapy seems to be associated with greater benefit, but quality of life also improves for patients despite delayed treatment.
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Navarra Health Service Hospital, Pamplona, Spain. Electronic address: olivia.busto.crespo@navarra.es.
authors.forename: Olivia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Busto-Crespo
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Navarra Health Service Hospital, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uzcanga-Lacabe
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Navarra Health Service Hospital, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abad-Marco
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Navarra Health Service Hospital, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Iosune
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berasategui
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Navarra Health Service Hospital, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Lola
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Navarra Health Service Hospital, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maraví
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Navarra Health Service Hospital, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aguilera-Albesa
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Department of ENT, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Montero
authors.affiliation: Voice Pathology Unit, Department of ENT, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Secundino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernández-González
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010699:Phonation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012649:Self Concept; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D013067:Speech Perception; D013068:Speech Production Measurement; D049489:Stroboscopy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014833:Voice Quality; D014834:Voice Training
keywords: Dysphonia; Speech therapy; Unilateral vocal fold paralysis; Voice pathology; Voice therapy