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Background Randomized, placebo-controlled studies have failed to demonstrate a significant treatment effect for laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) using traditional clinical endpoints. We compared the effect of esomeprazole 20 mg twice daily (b.i.d.) vs placebo on voice and acoustic-related measures in patients with LPR. Methods Patients with LPR underwent endoscopy and pH testing. Subsequently, patients underwent videostroboscopic recordings of the larynx, acoustic voice and speech analysis. A voice use and quality diary and oesophageal symptom diary were completed at baseline. Thereafter, patients were randomized to esomeprazole 20 mg twice daily vs placebo for 3 months. The voice use and quality diary and oesophageal symptom dairy were repeated during the last week of treatment. Videostroboscopy and acoustic voice and speech analysis were also performed at the end of treatment. Key Results Twenty-four patients were randomized to the esomeprazole group and 17 to the placebo group. There was no significant difference in videostroboscopic reflux finding scores from baseline to post-treatment. Acoustic measures also failed to demonstrate significant differences within the same or between groups, even when a sub-group analysis of patients with endoscopically documented oesophageal inflammation at baseline was performed. Additionally, no significant differences were found between groups when using voice use and quality diary. Conclusions & Inferences Use of more specific laryngeal functional parameters such as voice-related acoustic measures of pitch range, fundamental frequency and intensity also failed to demonstrate a significant response to proton pump inhibitor treatment as compared to placebo in patients with suspected LPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Vocal tremor (VT) poses treatment challenges due to uncertain pathophysiology. VT is typically classified into two phenotypes: isolated vocal tremor (iVT) and essential tremor-related voice tremor (ETvt). The impact of phenotypes on upper aerodigestive tract physiology during swallowing remains unclear. Qualitative and quantitative measures were employed to characterize tremor phenotypes and investigate the effects on swallowing physiology., Methods: Eleven ETvt participants (1 Male, 10 Female; x̄ age = 74) and 8 iVT participants (1 Male, 7 Female; x̄ age = 71) swallowed 20 mL boluses in cued and uncued conditions under standardized fluoroscopic visualization. Sustained/a/productions were captured to assess the rate and extent of fundamental frequency (F0) modulation. Penetration and Aspiration Scale (PAS) scores were obtained and swallowing biomechanics were captured using Swallowtail™ software. Participants also completed the Swallowing Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL) questionnaire., Results: Hypopharyngeal transit was faster in both VT phenotypes compared with Swallowtail™ normative reference data. Total pharyngeal transit times, however, were only faster in patients with iVT, relative to reference data. No significant differences were observed on the SWAL-QOL or PAS between tremor phenotypes. SWAL-QOL scores revealed that these patients rarely reported dysphagia symptoms., Conclusions: Subtle differences in swallowing patterns were observed across VT phenotypes, possibly related to adaptive mechanisms resulting in quicker pharyngeal bolus transit. Most patients did not report swallowing issues or dysphagia symptoms. This study is foundational for larger studies on this challenging population., Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 134:4599-4603, 2024., (© 2024 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objectives: This study examined the effects of a combination corticosteroid plus long-acting beta 2 -adrenergic agonist inhaler (IC) on rabbit phonation., Methods: White New Zealand male rabbits were assigned randomly to experimental and control groups (n = 11 per group). The experimental group received twice-daily doses of Advair HFA™ (fluticasone propionate 45 mcg and salmeterol 21 mcg) via a veterinary facemask with 1-way valve and spacer; the control group received aerosolized saline. After 8 weeks, animals were euthanized, larynges excised, frozen, and subsequently thawed and mounted on a standard bench apparatus. Phonation was elicited during 15 successive trials, and phonation threshold pressure (PTP; cmH 2 O) and flow (PTF; L/min) were quantified., Results: Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated significant differences between the experimental and control groups (p < 0.05). Mean PTP and PTF values were higher (worse) for rabbits that received Advair HFA™., Conclusion: Following 8-week exposure to ICs, rabbit larynges required greater air pressure and flow to initiate phonation. Because even modest phonation onset differences can have a meaningful clinical impact on voice function, these findings suggest that LABA ICs may put patients at risk for voice disorders. Furthermore, these voice disorders may occur within a relatively short timeframe. The results from this study have important clinical implications for voice care in those who use ICs., Level of Evidence: NA Laryngoscope, 133:2680-2686, 2023., (© 2023 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

The PhenX Toolkit (https://www.phenxtoolkit.org/) is an online catalog of recommended measurement protocols to facilitate cross-study analyses for biomedical research. An expert review panel (ERP) reviewed and updated the PhenX Toolkit Speech and Hearing domain to improve the precision and consistency of speech, language, and hearing disorder phenotypes. A three-member ERP convened in August 2018 to review the measurement protocols in the PhenX Speech and Hearing domain. Aided by three additional experts in voice assessment, vertigo, and stuttering, the ERP updated the 28 protocols to reflect the latest science and technology. ERP recommendations include six new protocols, five updated protocols (from the same source), and one retired protocol. New additions include two voice-related, three hearing-related, and two speech-related protocols. Additions reflect new phone/tablet applications for hearing and language, and clinical evaluations of voice. "Language" was added to the domain name, which is now "Speech, Language, and Hearing," to represent language-related protocols. These protocols can facilitate the assessment of speech, language, and hearing in clinical and population research. Common data elements (i.e., use of the same variables across studies) used by geneticists, otolaryngologists, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and in other disciplines can lead to cross-study data integration and increased statistical power when studies are combined., (© 2021 Research Triangle Institute. Annals of Human Genetics published by University College London (UCL) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)