Prevalence of phonatory symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Acta Diabetologia, 05/10/2012
Hamdan AL et al. – Diabetic patients are more likely to have phonatory symptoms compared to controls, namely straining and hoarseness. One out of seven patients with diabetes has reported that phonatory symptoms had a significant impact on their quality of life. The presence of neuropathy and poor glycemic control should alert the treating physician to these vocal complaints.
Methods- A total of 105 consecutive patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus by their primary endocrinologist were evaluated.
- A control group consisting of 33 healthy subjects was recruited for this study.
- Demographic data included: age, gender, allergy, smoking, duration of the disease, glycemic control, and presence or absence of neuropathy.
- Subjects were also asked about the presence or absence of the following symptoms: hoarseness, vocal tiring or fatigue, vocal straining, and aphonia or complete loss of voice.
- Patients were also asked to fill out the Voice Handicap Index 10.
- The mean age of patients with diabetes was 53.21 + 9.68 years with male-to-female ratio of 2/3.
- The most common phonatory symptoms were vocal tiring or fatigue and hoarseness (34.3 and 33.3 %).
- There was a significant difference in the prevalence of hoarseness and vocal straining (p value 0.045 and 0.015, respectively) compared to controls.
- There was a significant correlation between glycemic control, neuropathy, and hoarseness (p value 0.030 and 0.001, respectively).
- Vocal straining and aphonia also correlated significantly with the presence of neuropathy.
- Close to 16 % of diabetic patients had a VHI-10 above or equal to 7.
