title: Laryngeal Electromyography for Prognosis of Vocal Fold Paralysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to determine the value of laryngeal electromyography in the prognosis of vocal fold paralysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 80 patients diagnosed with unilateral or bilateral vocal fold paralysis on flexible laryngoscopy between 2002 and 2014 in a tertiary medical center. Laryngeal electromyography using a standardized protocol was performed; the outcome measures were classified and analyzed into two groups according to the degree of injury. Group 1 included patients with mild to moderate injury, and group 2 included patients with severe to complete injury. Prognosis was correlated with vocal fold motion recovery status with a minimum of 6 months of follow-up since the symptoms onset using positive and negative predictive values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty patients showed acute or chronic recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in laryngeal electromyography. Twelve of 41 patients included in group 1 recovered motion, and 30 of 35 patients included in group 2 did not recover, resulting in 88.2% of positive predictive value and 35.7% of negative predictive value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirm that laryngeal electromyography is a useful clinical tool in predicting poor recovery in patients with vocal fold paralysis. It allows identification of candidates for early intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Voice Pathology Unit, La Paz University Hospital, IdiPaz Research Institute, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: pardoadriana833@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pardo-Maza
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Voice Pathology Unit, La Paz University Hospital, IdiPaz Research Institute, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: García-Lopez
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, Voice Pathology Unit, La Paz University Hospital, IdiPaz Research Institute, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santiago-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Voice Pathology Unit, La Paz University Hospital, IdiPaz Research Institute, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gavilán
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: electromyography; laryngeal electromyography; laryngeal synkinesis; vocal cord paralysis; vocal fold paralysis