title: Voice evaluation in asthma patients using inhaled corticosteroids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to assess voice changes and laryngeal abnormalities in asthmatic patients using inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs).
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 30 patients (15 females; mean age 21.3±2.6 years; range, 17 to 26 years and 15 males; mean age 20.7±2.3 years; range, 16 to 27 years) with bronchial asthma treated with ICSs between May 2013 and December 2013. A speech sample from each patient was evaluated by two phoniatricians and the degrees of dysphonia were scored. Each patient's voice was acoustically analyzed using the multidimensional voice program software. Videolaryngoscopy was used to detect laryngeal abnormalities including the vocal folds.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 53.3% of ICSs users had dysphonia; most of them had a mild degree dysphonia. Of patients, vocal folds erythema was present in 56.7%, interarytenoid thickening in 56.7%, vocal folds bowing in 5.3% and vocal fold atrophy in 5.5%. A total of 36.7% patients had manifestations of laryngopharyngeal reflux. The presence of vocal fold bowing and atrophy was significantly related to the duration of ICS use (p=0.048). Soft phonation index values were positively associated with the duration of the ICS use (p=0.013).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inhaled corticosteroids have abnormally adverse effects both on the function and the structure of the vocal folds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sohag University, Egypt, KFHJ-KSA. hezzm268@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hatem Ezzeldin
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Hassen
authors.forename: Ahmed Mohamed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abo Hasseba
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001284:Atrophy; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055154:Dysphonia / Q000209:etiology; D004890:Erythema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007818:Laryngeal Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D010699:Phonation / Q000187:drug effects; D013060:Speech / Q000187:drug effects; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D014831:Voice / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019819:Budesonide; D001507:Beclomethasone