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Intralesional Steroid Injection Versus Voice Therapy in Management of Vocal Nodules

Phase 4
Recruiting
Conditions
Vocal Nodules in Adults
Interventions
Behavioral: Smith Accent method of voice therapy
Registration Number
NCT03914092
Lead Sponsor
Assiut University
Brief Summary

Vocal nodules represent 16 % of benign vocal fold lesions.They are caused by chronic voice abuse or misuse and often occur in children and adult females. The resultant dysphonia leads to personal, social and occupational problems.

The first line of treatment is voice rest and voice therapy. The Accent method is a holistic technique for behavior readjustment voice therapy which targets various voice parameters as loudness, pitch and timbre. However, voice rest and voice therapy are sometimes difficult to be carried out in patients with voice-related occupations. So, complete resolution may not be possible in all patients. When voice therapy is inefficient, resection is performed by laryngeal microsurgery under general anesthesia. However, the role of surgery is much restricted.

Detailed Description

An intralesional steroid injection to vocal nodules has come to the forefront as another treatment choice. Steroids decrease the synthesis and maturation of collagen, suppress fibroblast function, and inhibit the antibacterial phagocytic action of some defense cells and vasoactive substances release.These actions are considered to be functional for treating vocal nodules. Many studies, investigated steroid injection in benign lesions including nodules, reported that 93-100% of the nodules either disappeared or improved. The reported nodules recurrence rate after 2 years was 26.7- 31%.

However, to our knowledge, no previous study has compared vocal nodule steroid injection with a group receiving voice therapy to accurately assess the clinical role of vocal fold steroid injection.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  • 1- Female patients diagnosed with bilateral vocal fold soft edematous nodules with preserved stroboscopic waves , don't exceed base 2.5 mm and apex .5mm.

2- age: 18-55 years. 3- Normal articulation, resonance and language ability. 4- Normal hearing.

Exclusion Criteria
  • 1- Previous voice therapy or micro-phono-surgery. 2- Use of drugs (which may cause changes in laryngeal function, mucosa, or muscle activity).

    3- History of allergies, lung disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, or other concomitant vocal pathology (e.g., vocal polyp and vocal cyst).

    4- Current psychiatric, neurological conditions.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
control groupSmith Accent method of voice therapyfemale patients with vocal fold nodules undergoing Smith Accent voice therapy
study grouptriamcinolone acetonide injectionfemale patients with vocal fold nodules undergoing intralesional steroid injection
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Subjective measurements of severity of dysphoniaBefore intervention

Measurements of Grade of Dysphonia, strain, leakiness, Breathiness and irregularity by auditory perceptual assessment using modified (GRBAS) scale. Grades ranging from 0 (normal) up to 3 ( severe)

Subjective measurements of patient's assessment of voice severityBefore intervention

Measurements of scores of Arabic Voice Handicap Index

Objective measurements of vocal nodules sizebefore intervention

Measurements of base and rise of nodules using videostroboscopic examination

Objective measurements of vocal pitchBefore intervention

Measurements of acoustic analysis: fundamental frequency (Hz)

Objective measurements of vocal waveform frequency aperiodicityBefore intervention

Measurements of acoustic analysis: jitter (%)

Objective measurements of vocal waveform amplitude aperiodicityBefore intervention

Measurements of acoustic analysis: shimmer (dB)

Objective measurements of vocal waveform periodicity to aperiodicity ratioBefore intervention

Measurements of acoustic analysis : harmonic to noise ratio(dB)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Subjective measurements of severity dysphonia1, 2 and 3 months after intervention

Measurements of change of Grade of Dysphonia, strain, leakiness, Breathiness and irregularity by auditory perceptual assessment using modified (GRBAS) scale. Grades ranging from 0 (normal) up to 3 ( severe)

Change in subjective measurements of patient's assessment of voice severity1, 2 and 3 months after intervention

Measurements of change in scores of Arabic Voice Handicap Index

Change in objective measurements of vocal nodules size1, 2 and 3 months after intervention

Measurements of change in base and rise of nodules using videostroboscopic examination

Change in objective measurements of vocal pitch1, 2 and 3 months after intervention

Measurements of change in acoustic analysis including fundamental frequency (Hz)

Change in objective measurements of vocal waveform frequency aperiodicity1,2 and 3 months after intervention

Measurements of change in acoustic analysis : jitter (%)

Change in objective measurements of vocal waveform amplitude aperiodicity1,2 and 3 months after intervention

Measurements of change in acoustic analysis : shimmer (dB)

Change in objective measurements of vocal waveform periodicity to aperiodicity ratio1,2 and 3 after intervention

Change in measurements of acoustic analysis : harmonic to noise ratio (dB)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Assiut university hospitals

🇪🇬

Assiut, Egypt

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