Abstract
Objective This study aimed to assess the effects of surface electrical stimulation plus voice therapy on voice in dysphonic patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Method Patients were assigned to 3 treatment groups ( n = 28 per group) and received daily treatment for 3 weeks on 5 days a week. All three groups received voice therapy (usual care). In addition, two groups received surface electrical stimulation, either motor-level or sensory-level stimulation. A standardised measurement protocol to evaluate therapeutic effects included the Voice Handicap Index and videolaryngostroboscopy. Results Voice Handicap Index and videolaryngostroboscopic assessment showed statistically significant differences between baseline and post-treatment across all groups, without any post-treatment differences between the three groups. Conclusion Intensive voice therapy (usual care) improved idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients' self-assessment of voice impairment and the videolaryngostroboscopic outcome score. However, surface electrical stimulation used as an add-on to usual care did not improve idiopathic Parkinson's disease patients’ self-assessment of voice impairment or the videolaryngostroboscopic outcome scores any further.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 775-781 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Laryngology and Otology |
| Volume | 137 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Early online date | 14 Sept 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2023 |