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Echoes of the larynx: harnessing acoustic analysis as a key tool for monitoring laryngeal health in inhalational therapy patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 July 2025

Sharad Ashish Open the ORCID record for Sharad Ashish [Opens in a new window] ,
Nirmal Coumare V. ,
Pajanivel R.  and
Padmanabhan Karthikeyan
Sharad Ashish*
Affiliation:
Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, Pondicherry, India
Nirmal Coumare V.
Affiliation:
Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, Pondicherry, India
Pajanivel R.
Affiliation:
Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, Pondicherry, India
Padmanabhan Karthikeyan
Affiliation:
Department of ENT and Head and Neck Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University, Pondicherry, India
*
Corresponding author: Sharad Ashish; Email: sharad.ashish9@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objectives

This study evaluated laryngeal changes and voice quality in patients with obstructive lung disease treated with combination inhalational agents.

Methods

A prospective observational study at a tertiary care hospital in southern India included 112 newly diagnosed obstructive lung disease patients. Initial assessments involved history-taking, clinical examination, direct laryngoscopy and voice analysis using PRAAT® software. Parameters such as mean pitch, jitter, shimmer, harmonic-to-noise ratio and maximum phonation time were measured, with follow-ups at 3, 6 and 12 months.

Results

Patients had a mean age of 43.05 years. Progressive laryngeal changes, including oedema (5.3 per cent) and hyperaemia (7.1 per cent), were noted by 12 months. Significant increases in shimmer and jitter, along with decreases in harmonic-to-noise ratio and maximum phonation time, indicated deteriorating voice quality (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Long-term inhalational corticosteroid use in obstructive lung disease patients leads to progressive laryngeal changes and voice deterioration, emphasising the need for vocal function monitoring and preventive strategies.

Keywords

asthmadysphoniachronic inhalational therapyobstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)voice analysis

Information

Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , First View , pp. 1 - 6
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED.

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Footnotes

Sharad Ashish takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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