VOICE QUALITY IN CHRONIC LARYNGITIS

İzmir Training and Research Hospital, Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology, İzmir, Turkey In this study, the voice quality of the chronic laryngitis patients have been evaluated. 21 chronic laryngitis patients, 18 males and 3 females, aged between 22 and 64 years old were included to the study. All of them were smoker, and in 12 of them, laryngopharyngeal reflux were present. Control group consist of 74 volunteers, 67 males and 7 females. 49 of them were smokers,and in 16 of them, laryngopharyngeal reflux were present. The diagnosis of chronic laryngitis was established by videolaryngoscopy using a 70º rigid scope. Auditive and acoustic analysis, voice range profile, maximum phonation time and the Disphonia Severity Index (DSI) were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using paired sample T-Test. There was a statistically significant difference in RBH and DSI scores of the control and chronic laryngitis groups. The voice quality is slightly-moderately disturbed in chronic laryngitis patients, objectively and subjectively. Keywords : chronic, laryngitis, acoustic analysis