title: The importance of voice analysis in evaluating the effectiveness of reflux treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate the effects of reflux treatment in voice disorders in laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) patients using acoustic analyses and the relationship between scoring systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 84 LPR patients (18 males, 66 females; mean age 43.1±11.3 years; range 18 to 73 years) were evaluated using reflux symptom index (RSI), reflux findings score (RFS), videolaryngostroboscopic examination, and acoustic analysis with Dr. Speech 4 before LPR treatment and at the first and third months after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maximum phonation time, fundamental frequency (F0), jitter, and shimmer scores did not show any statistically significant alteration at the posttreatment period according to pretreatment scores (p>0.05). However, the alteration in Harmonics-to-Noise ratio and Signals-to-Noise ratio scores were statistically significant (p=0.017 and p=0.003, respectively). Reflux symptom index results showed significant positive correlation with F0 at the pretreatment, and at posttreatment first and third month evaluations (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient [rho]=0.246, p=0.024; rho=0.300, p=0.006; rho=0.305, p=0.005, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship between the parameters of acoustic analysis and RSI and RFS values seems to be controversial for diagnosis and follow-up of LPR patients, requiring further investigations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, İstanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty, 34098 Cerrahpaşa, Fatih, İstanbul, Turkey. batioglu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ayşegül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batıoğlu-Karaaltın
authors.forename: Ömer Necati
authors.initials: ÖN
authors.lastname: Develioğlu
authors.forename: Özge
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Tarhan
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Külekçi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D057045:Laryngopharyngeal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013061:Speech Acoustics; D014832:Voice Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult