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Quality of Life Measures and Predictors for Adults With Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis
Author(s) -
Fang TuanJen,
Li HsuehYu,
Gliklich Richard E.,
Chen YaHui,
Wang PaChun,
Chuang HsiuFeng
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/mlg.0b013e31817e7431
Subject(s) - swallowing , quality of life (healthcare) , medicine , phonation , population , sf 36 , international classification of functioning, disability and health , normative , audiology , psychology , clinical psychology , physical therapy , rehabilitation , health related quality of life , surgery , disease , philosophy , environmental health , nursing , epistemology
Objective/Hypothesis: To investigate the quality of life (QoLF) status of Taiwanese adults with unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP). Study Design: A prospective, QoLF survey in a tertiary referral voice center. Methods: Fifty‐five consecutive UVCP patients were evaluated with Medical Outcome Study Short Form‐36 (SF‐36) Health Survey and the voice outcome survey at entry. Results: UVCP patients have significantly lower scores in all eight SF‐36 subscales ( P < .05) than do normative Taiwan adult population, particularly in role functioning‐physical problems, social functioning, and role functioning‐emotional problems. Shimmer parameter is a robust and consistent predictor for bodily pain (β = −20.8), role functioning‐emotional problems (β = −27.9), and social functioning (β = −20) general health dimensions. Shimmer is also predictive of UVCP‐related total voice outcome survey score (β = −8.6, P < .05). Conclusions: UVCP can seriously compromise phonation, swallowing, and social functions; thus significantly impacting a patient's general health status. Voice physiological function is also a QoLF outcome indicator.