LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 15:12 December 2015
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Acoustic Analysis of Voice Quality in
Inhaled Cortico Steroid Users

Shijin Varghese
Satish Kumaraswamy

Abstract

Inhaled corticosteroids are efficient and safe medicines used to treat people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It reduces and can help to avoid redness, swelling, and mucus build-up in airways and lungs and this will help the patient to breathe easier. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are recommended first line therapy for persistent asthma, but unfortunately they frequently provoke laryngeal adverse effects.

The aim of the study is to analyze the voice quality of inhaled cortico steroid users by means of subjective and objective methods. The present study analysed the voice quality of inhaled cortico steroid users by comparing the voice parameters jitter (pitch-period perturbation-ppq) (difference of periods-ddp), shimmer (amplitude perturbation-apq) (difference of amplitude- dda), Pitch (mean pitch, minimum pitch, maximum pitch, range,) Voicing (degree of voice breaks, number of voice breaks,) and Noise to harmonic ratio across the group, within the group and gender wise. 90 inhaled cortico steroid users in the age range of 22 to 70 years were selected from chest clinic for asthma and allergic centre at Thiruvalla, Kerala.

These findings would suggest a trade-off between controlling the symptoms of asthma and maintaining normal vocal functioning. However, individuals with asthma present with a wide range of co-morbidity factors such as smoking, chronic cough and co-existing allergic rhinitis, which may confound the effects of ICS on voice production. Laryngeal complications of asthma are poorly understood. The administration of ICS for a long duration will affect the vocal fold function. Because of ICS main cause for voice difficulty is steroid deposition on the superficial layer of the larynx. This will be the primary cause of dysphonia.

Keywords: Acoustic Analysis of Voice Quality, Inhaled Cortico Steroid Users, gender distinction in voice quality.

Introduction

Voice is an integral part of unique human attribute known as speech. Voice is a powerful tool that not only delivers message but adds meaning to it (Colton and Casper, 1996). According to Boone (1991), A normal voice should have adequate loudness, should be clear, appropriate pitch for age, and gender, constant inflections, and should implicate the meaning of what is spoken. An abnormal voice can be described as a sign of illness, or a symptom of illness or a disorder of communication.

Effect of Corticosteroids

There are different factors which affect the normal voice such as, air quality, humidity, noise, speaker-listener distance, fatigue, aging, allergies and infection, hydration, recreational drugs and medication. Among over the counter drugs, the primary enemies of the vocal tract are aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs. One of the most common anti-inflammatory drugs used by asthma patients are corticosteroids. (Derendorf and clin, 2007)

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Shijin Varghese
Dr. M. V. Shetty college of Speech and Hearing
Malady Court
Kavoor
Mangalore – 575 015
Karnataka
India
shijinvarghese.aslp@gmail.com

Satish Kumaraswamy
Assistant Professor and Research Scholar
Dr. M. V. Shetty college of Speech and Hearing
Malady Court
Kavoor
Mangalore – 575 015
Karnataka
India
Sat8378@yahoo.com
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