Introduction Dysphonia has been described in patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dysphonia, and its severity and extent, of voice fatigue and of dysphagia in nonhospitalized patients affected by COVID-19 in Lombardy, the Italian region most hit by the first explosive outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe. Methods Demographic and clinical data of 160 consecutive patients, with COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed by nasal swabs processed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, were gathered by means of telephone interviews performed by physicians in charge of daily follow-up. General and specific symptoms concerning voice and swallowing impairment were investigated. Dysphonia grade and duration were graded on 4-point scales, while voice fatigue was graded on a 5-point scale. Results Dysphonia was reported by 70 (43.7%) patients and was positively associated with voice fatigue (P<0.001), cough (P=0.005), rhinitis (P=0.01), and dyspnea (P=0.06); it was mild/moderate in 69 patients, but its duration was > 2 weeks in 33/70 (47.1%) patients and >1 month in 11/70 (15.7%). Grade and duration of dysphonia were positively associated with cough and rhinitis (all P-values <0.01). Voice fatigue was reported by 43/160 patients (26.8%) and its severity was correlated with dysphonia (P<0.0001), cough (P=0.02), rhinitis (P=0.02), dyspnea (P<0.001), and loss of appetite (P=0.01). Dysphagia was encountered in 27/160 patients (16.9%) and was associated with dysgeusia, cough, arthralgia, myalgia and loss of appetite but not with dysphonia. Conclusions Dysphonia was a highly prevalent and long-lasting symptom in this series; it has been underestimated to date. Further studies might shed light on the pathophysiology of voice disorders in COVID-19 patients.
Prevalence of Dysphonia in Non hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Lombardy, the Italian Epicenter of the Pandemic / G. Cantarella, M. Aldè, D. Consonni, G.V. Zuccotti, F.D. Berardino, S. Barozzi, S. Bertoli, A. Battezzati, D. Zanetti, L. Pignataro. - In: JOURNAL OF VOICE. - ISSN 0892-1997. - (2021). [Epub ahead of print] [10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.03.009]
Prevalence of Dysphonia in Non hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 in Lombardy, the Italian Epicenter of the Pandemic
G. Cantarella
Primo
;M. AldèSecondo
;G.V. Zuccotti;F.D. Berardino;S. Barozzi;S. Bertoli;A. Battezzati;D. Zanetti;L. PignataroUltimo
2021
Abstract
Introduction Dysphonia has been described in patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dysphonia, and its severity and extent, of voice fatigue and of dysphagia in nonhospitalized patients affected by COVID-19 in Lombardy, the Italian region most hit by the first explosive outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe. Methods Demographic and clinical data of 160 consecutive patients, with COVID-19 diagnosis confirmed by nasal swabs processed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, were gathered by means of telephone interviews performed by physicians in charge of daily follow-up. General and specific symptoms concerning voice and swallowing impairment were investigated. Dysphonia grade and duration were graded on 4-point scales, while voice fatigue was graded on a 5-point scale. Results Dysphonia was reported by 70 (43.7%) patients and was positively associated with voice fatigue (P<0.001), cough (P=0.005), rhinitis (P=0.01), and dyspnea (P=0.06); it was mild/moderate in 69 patients, but its duration was > 2 weeks in 33/70 (47.1%) patients and >1 month in 11/70 (15.7%). Grade and duration of dysphonia were positively associated with cough and rhinitis (all P-values <0.01). Voice fatigue was reported by 43/160 patients (26.8%) and its severity was correlated with dysphonia (P<0.0001), cough (P=0.02), rhinitis (P=0.02), dyspnea (P<0.001), and loss of appetite (P=0.01). Dysphagia was encountered in 27/160 patients (16.9%) and was associated with dysgeusia, cough, arthralgia, myalgia and loss of appetite but not with dysphonia. Conclusions Dysphonia was a highly prevalent and long-lasting symptom in this series; it has been underestimated to date. Further studies might shed light on the pathophysiology of voice disorders in COVID-19 patients.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
---|---|---|---|
1-s2.0-S0892199721001089-main.pdf
accesso aperto
Tipologia:
Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione
97.64 kB
Formato
Adobe PDF
|
97.64 kB | Adobe PDF | Visualizza/Apri |
Pubblicazioni consigliate
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.