Intensive Short-Term Voice Therapy Through Resonance Tube Phonation in Water and Vocal Self-Assessment: A Controlled and Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE

To compare patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) before and after intensive short-term voice therapy through resonance tube phonation in water (IVT with RTPW) in women with vocal complaints, with and without structural laryngeal disorders (SLD), to verify the possible therapeutic effect of RTPW.

STUDY

DESIGN

Controlled and randomized clinical trial.

METHODS

In total, 46 women were alternately assigned to four groups based on diagnosis and videolaryngostroboscopy order: 15 women without SLD in study group 1 (SG1), 13 women without SLD in control group 1 (CG1), 9 women with SLD in study group 2 (SG2), and 9 women with SLD in control group 2 (CG2). Response to the following protocols: vocal activity and participation profile (VAPP), voice-related quality of life (V-RQOL), voice handicap index (VHI), voice symptom scale (VoiSS), and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), before and after the IVT with RTPW.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

HADS: a reduction of anxiety in SG1; V-RQOL: an increase in the "total" and "emotional" scores in SG2, and an increase in the "total" score in SG2 when compared with CG2; VoiSS: a decrease in all scores in SG1 when compared with CG1, and a decrease in all scores when compared with SG2; VHI: a decrease in the "total" score in SG1; VAPP: decreased scores for the aspects "self-perception of vocal problem intensity" and "effects at work" in SG1, and both aspects were lower in SG1 than in CG1; the "effects on emotion" scores were lower in SG1 than in SG2; a decrease in the scores for the aspects "self-perception of vocal problem intensity," "effects on emotion," and "total" in SG2 when compared with CG2.

CONCLUSION

The IVT with RTPW provided positive outcomes in vocal, anxiety, and depression PROMs in women with and without SLD, especially in those without SLD.