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Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder characterized by repeated upper airway collapse. As types of surgical modalities have been defined according to the level of airway obstruction, uvulopalatal flap and anterior palatoplasty are 2 of the main surgical options for patients with collapse in the soft palate and oropharynx region. The aim of our study is to show the effect of surgery on neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, and mean platelet volume values in OSAS patients. Methods: The medical records of 125 patients with OSAS diagnosis in between January 2012 and December 2014 were evaluated retrospectively. Age, gender, body mass index, polysomnography results, Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS), complete blood count values, and surgical results of the patients were evaluated. Results: A statistically significant decrease was observed in the mean apnea-hypopnea index, oxygen desaturation index, and ESS scores in the postoperative period (P < .001). Considering all patients, a statistically significant decrease was observed in th mean platelet volume (MPV) values in the postoperative period (P < .001) and no statistically significant change was observed in the mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values (P = .808 and P = .117). In patients whose anterior palatoplasty (78 patients) results were considered successful, a statistically significant decrease was observed in MPV and PLR values (P < .001 and P = .038), while no significant change was observed in NLR values (P = .185). In those with successful uvulopalatal flap (47 patients) results, a statistically significant decrease was observed in MPV values (P < .001), while no significant change was observed in NLR and PLR values (P = .809 and P = .154). Conclusion: While it was observed that MPV values were associated with OSAS, no clear relationship was found between NLR and PLR values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to classify the degree of edema in patients with Reinke's edema (RE) and examine its impact on their voice parameters using both objective and subjective assessment methods. Methods: Objective and subjective voice data of 104 patients diagnosed with RE between 2018 and 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. RE is classified into 4 groups (types 1, 2, 3, and 4). The evaluation included video laryngostroboscopic examination, acoustic voice analysis, and aerodynamic measurements, GRBAS, Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), Voice-Related Quality of Life Scale (V-RQOL), and Reflux Septum Index (RSI). Results: Patients with type 1 RE had a significantly lower mean age than those with types 3-4. Although there were no significant differences in acoustic and aerodynamic parameters between the groups, it was observed that F0 and the maximum phonation time decreased as the degree of edema increased. The GRBASTotal, G, and R scores of types 1 and 2 were significantly lower than those of types 3 and 4, as were the scores of type 1 S. There were no statistically significant differences between the RE groups in terms of VHI-10, V-RQOL, and RSI scores. Conclusion: It has been observed that as the severity of RE increases, voice perception and quality (especially types 3 and 4) are negatively affected. Determining the degree of edema will guide the clinician in both the planning of the intervention phase and the follow-up phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of voice therapy in the treatment of patients with mutational falsetto and which parameters should be used as a more specific criterion for assessing the effectiveness of this treatment. Methods: The objective and subjective voice evaluation data from the files of patients diagnosed with mutational falsetto between 2014 and 2019 were retrospectively evaluated in the study. Fundamental frequency, jitter (%), shimmer (%), noise-to-harmonics ratio, voice turbulence index, soft phonation index, voice handicap index-10, and Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain scale are all used in the evaluation of voice. The acoustic and perceptual analysis findings of the patients before and after therapy were compared. Results: A total of 31 participants were enrolled in the study. After therapy, the Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain scale and voice handicap index-10 scores were statistically substantially lower than before therapy (P < .05). The mean fundamental frequency of the patients before therapy was 230.65 ± 69.16 Hz, whereas after therapy, it was 126.32 ± 16.86 Hz. After therapy, there was a statistically significant difference in fundamental frequency, jitter (%), and soft phonation index values when compared to before therapy (P < .05). All patients received an average of 4 sessions of voice therapy. Conclusions: Voice therapy has been identified as a significant treatment approach among the treatment choices for individuals with mutational falsetto. Although fundamental frequency is the most prominent parameter among the acoustic analysis results for determining the efficacy of this therapy, the jitter and soft phonation index parameters were also found to be significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the impact of different types of masks on the voices of healthcare professionals who had to wear masks for an extended amount of time during the pandemic period and had a healthy voice., Methods: Our research included 41 healthcare workers. The participants were separated into two groups: surgical (n = 21) and N95 mask users (n = 20). Healthcare workers evaluated masks before and after wearing them for at least 8 hours throughout the workday. All subjects had a videolaryngoscopic examination; the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10), GRBAS, acoustic voice analysis (F0, jitter%, shimmer%, noise/harmonic ratio, relative average perturbation [RAP]), aerodynamic measures (maximum phonation time, MPT), and blood oxygen saturation were evaluated., Results: Although both groups' VHI-10 scores increased after using the mask, this rise was not statistically significant in our research. According to the GRBAS classification, voice quality deterioration was identified in 9.6% (mild-moderate) of the group using surgical masks and 15% (mild) of the group wearing N95. Only the jitter and RAP values of individuals wearing both surgical and N95 masks were determined to be statistically significant. There was no significant change in MPT following mask wear in either group. Both the surgical and N95 mask-using groups showed a substantial drop in blood oxygen saturation before and after mask usage., Conclusion: There was no change in voice quality between healthcare workers wearing surgical and N95 masks. It has been noticed that voice perception and quality are affected by the mask's barrier effect rather than the kind of mask., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)