Voice-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Objective. To investigate the voice-related quality of life in a group of patients with multiple sclerosis.Participants. A total of 87 subjects (59 MS subjects and 28 controls) participated in this study.Main Outcome Measures. Variables included presence or absence of phonatory symptoms, duration of the disease, the expanded disability status scale (EDSS), the severity of fatigue, and depression. All patients were asked to fill the Voice Handicap Index.Results. The average age was 35.47 years + 10.92 with 39% being males. The average duration of the disease was 77.93 months. The EDSS score was 1.94 + 1.84, the FSS score was 4.07 + 2.09, and the HRSD was 7.28 + 7.70. Only 7 subjects out of the 59 had vocal symptoms compared to 3 in the control group. There was no significant difference in the VHI total score between cases (5.9 + 15.5) and controls (5.4 + 8.2). There was a positive correlation between VHI total score, FSS score, and HRSD (Pvalues of 0.011 and <0.01.Conclusion. The voice-related quality of life in MS is within normal with no disability.