Niebudek-Bogusz Ewa, Kuzańska Anna, Woznicka Ewelina, Sliwinska-Kowalska Mariola
Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland.
Folia Phoniatr Logop. 2011;63(5):269-72. doi: 10.1159/000324214. Epub 2011 Mar 3.
The aim of the study was to assess the applicability of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) in the screening diagnostics of voice dysfunction and in the evaluation of the level of handicap due to dysphonia.
A total of 165 patients with voice disorders (vocal paresis, benign vocal fold masses, and functional dysphonia) and 65 healthy controls completed the VHI questionnaire. All the participants were subjected to maximum phonation time (MPT) assessment, the patients also to laryngovideostroboscopy.
The VHI scores for the patients and controls differed significantly (p<0.001). A significant correlation (p<0.05) was found when MPT and VHI were compared. The cutoff point, at which VHI sensitivity (for distinguishing between subjects with voice dysfunction and with vocal health) reached its maximal value (98%) at the highest level of specificity (95%), was assumed to be 12.
The study revealed that the VHI is a reliable tool for identifying patients who experience vocal dysfunction and should be used in multidimensional diagnostics of voice disorders. The level of 12 points in the VHI test should be considered to be a threshold for rating the biopsychosocial impact of dysphonia.
本研究旨在评估嗓音障碍指数（VHI）在嗓音功能障碍筛查诊断及评估嗓音障碍所致残疾程度方面的适用性。
共有165例嗓音障碍患者（声带麻痹、声带良性肿物及功能性嗓音障碍）和65例健康对照完成了VHI问卷。所有参与者均接受了最长发声时间（MPT）评估，患者还接受了喉动态频闪喉镜检查。
患者与对照的VHI评分差异有统计学意义（p<0.001）。比较MPT和VHI时发现显著相关性（p<0.05）。VHI敏感性（用于区分嗓音功能障碍患者和嗓音健康者）在最高特异性水平（95%）达到最大值（98%）时的截断点假定为12。
研究表明，VHI是识别嗓音功能障碍患者的可靠工具，应用于嗓音障碍的多维度诊断。VHI测试中的12分应被视为评估嗓音障碍对生物心理社会影响的阈值。
