SAN DIEGO, Oct 6, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. researchers say 66 percent of
patients in an inner city pediatric voice clinic complained of hoarseness.
Seventy-seven percent of those with hoarseness had vocal nodules. Twenty-three
percent of patients with vocal nodules complained of other subjective
complaints, but not hoarseness, researchers said.
Seven percent of patients with no pathology on exam were patients who presented
with subjective vocal abnormalities and had a higher mean age -- 10.29 years --
compared to those who had pathology. The authors suggested further studies to
examine possible age-related and/or environmental components to their subjective
complaints.
The study was based on a database of voice patients from August 2003 to June
2008 in a tertiary care children's hospital voice clinic. Demographics, medical
history, voice analysis, treatment, and prevalence of vocal pathologies were
reviewed for a total of 227 patients with a mean age of 7. More than half -- 53
percent -- were male.
Dr. Rahul Shah and Dr. Sukgi Choi, both of Children's National Medical Center in
Washington, presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Academy
of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation in San Diego.
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