Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess whether the factors historically presented in the literature to differentiate vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) from breathing difficulties of other etiologies accurately predict and identify patients who have VCD. The researchers were also interested in whether patients with VCD have a higher risk of misdiagnosis than patients with breathing difficulties of other etiologies. Finally, the present study investigated whether patients with VCD were more likely to have their symptoms attributed to psychological factors than patients with breathing difficulties of other etiologies. Method: A survey comprised of 23 questions regarding the participants’ previous and current diagnoses, triggers that precede breathing difficulty, and whether or not the participants have ever been misdiagnosed was posted to internet support groups, websites, blogs, and forums. The final participant pool included 20 participants with VCD and 25 participants with asthma. Results: None of the factors investigated accurately differentiated participants with asthma from participants with VCD one hundred percent of the time. However, participants with VCD were more likely to report throat tightness during an attack, association of an attack with symptoms of acid reflux, and rapid resolution of symptoms without treatment. Conversely, participants with asthma were more likely to report expiratory stridor and chest tightness, full resolution of symptoms with use of asthma medications, nocturnal symptoms or symptoms just after waking, and symptoms that seemed to be triggered by environmental agents or allergens. Preliminary findings from the present study suggest that patients with VCD are both more likely to receive a misdiagnosis and have their symptoms attributed to psychological factors than participants with asthma. Conclusion: A diagnosis of VCD must be made very carefully, ideally with instrumental evaluation of the vocal mechanism during an acute “attack” of breathing difficulty. The factors identified in the literature to differentially diagnose patients with asthma from patients with VCD do not accurately differentiate these populations. These findings suggest that continued education about the nature of VCD and differential diagnosis should be paramount to medical professionals. / text

Idiopathic tracheal stenosis (ITS) is a rare condition, and diagnosis of exclusion should be suspected in patients with exercise intolerance, wheezing, and dyspnea on exertion with a flow-volume loop suggestive of fixed airway obstruction. We report a case of a 32-year-old asthmatic woman with an existing diagnosis of vocal cord dysfunction and previous normal CT scan of the neck. She continued to have fixed upper airway obstruction on repeated flow-volume loops with persistent wheezing and cough along with occasional stridor and hoarseness of voice despite appropriate management of her asthma. She was finally diagnosed with ITS on a repeat CT scan of the neck for which she underwent laser surgery, steroid injection, and controlled radial expansion balloon dilation with a successful reduction of stenosis. This case illustrates the importance of clinical suspicion for early diagnosis of ITS in poorly controlled asthmatic patients and the relevance of non-surgical management of this condition.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-12-04T10:03:54Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Alessandra Regina Brito - 2015.pdf: 3892729 bytes, checksum: 9a222f0736a2ac9409187a30cab6da89 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2015-12-04T10:06:34Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Alessandra Regina Brito - 2015.pdf: 3892729 bytes, checksum: 9a222f0736a2ac9409187a30cab6da89 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-04T10:06:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Tese - Alessandra Regina Brito - 2015.pdf: 3892729 bytes, checksum: 9a222f0736a2ac9409187a30cab6da89 (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-04-24 / The teaching profession is one that have a higher incidence of changes and vocal symptoms. This thesis built on the model of scientific articles, features sociodemographic profile of Basic Education teachers and examines associations between vocal symptoms reported in perception protocols, with videolaryngoscopy. Descriptive, cross-sectional study with 107 female teachers, active in seven public schools in Goiânia. The theme of the literature review investigated using the teaching descriptors, voice, dysphonia, vocal cord dysfunction and video laryngoscopy, in the databases PubMed, LILACS, SciELO included studies in English and Portuguese, in the period 2001-2015. Of the 174 publications found, 135 were excluded and 17 were part of the integrative review. Among the symptoms reported, hoarseness was the most cited and the examination videolaryngoscopy, the most widely used, but the exams analysis parameters, were not unanimous. Among the laryngeal disorders, they stood out glottal slit, nodules and laryngopharyngeal reflux. The second article presents the results of research, including sociodemographic profile and the association of self-perception of vocal symptoms reported by teachers, with the analyzes of videolaryngoscopy. The instruments were questionnaire and protocols Voice Disorder Screening Index, Profile Participation and Activities Vocals and videolaryngoscopy record. There was aged predominantly between 40 and 49 years, and 72 (67%) worked in elementary school, 23 (21%) Education Infant and Nursery, 12 (11%) in Special Education. For the working time 33 (31%) teach between 1-10 years, 46 (43%) of 11-20 years and 28 (26%) over 20 years. With regard to the shift, 56 (52%) in a working period, 46 (43%) in two and 5 (5%) for over two periods or shifts. The prevalence of teachers with vocal symptoms reported 82 (77%) and 44 (41%) with laryngeal changes to videolaryngoscopy. Data were described by bivariate analysis and odds ratios finding significance between hoarseness symptoms (p = 0.005), loss of voice (p = 0.042), and breaks in the voice (p = 0.002). On examination videolaryngoscopic, 19 (18%) teachers showed signs of laryngopharyngeal reflux, 16 (15%) nodules, 5 (5%) and slot 4 (4%) vocal fold polyps associated with symptoms of hoarseness, loss of voice and breaks voice (p <0.05). There was significance between hoarseness symptoms (p = 0.005), loss of voice (p = 0.042), and breaks in the voice (p = 0.002) compared to videolaryngoscopic findings. Vocal fatigue (21%) was the most vocal symptom referred by teachers. There was no significant association between the sociodemographic data and laryngeal alterations found in videolaryngoscopy. Conclusion: In the literature review, there were no publications that associate the protocols Voice Disorder Screening Index (IDTV) and Profile Participation and Voice Activity (VAPP) to take videolaringoscopia.Este study revealed a significant association between vocal symptoms hoarseness, loss of voice and breaks the voice raised by teachers with laryngeal alterations found in videolaryngoscopy. However, teachers were identified with symptoms and changes to videolaryngoscopy, as well as teachers with symptoms and without changes to the exam and teachers without symptoms, but with examination of changes laryngoscopy, as well as limitations and restrictions in daily activities, in the presence of voice disorders . / A profissão docente é uma das que apresentam maior incidência de alterações e sintomas vocais. A presente tese construída no modelo de artigos científicos, caracteriza o perfil sócio-demográfico de docentes da Educação Básica e analisa as associações entre os sintomas vocais referidos em protocolos de autopercepção, com o exame de videolaringoscopia. Estudo descritivo, transversal, com 107 docentes do sexo feminino, atuantes em sete escolas municipais de Goiânia. A revisão de literatura do tema investigado, utilizando os descritores docente, voz, disfonia, disfunção da prega vocal e videolaringoscopia, nas bases de dados do PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, incluiu estudos nos idiomas Inglês e Português, no período de 2001 a 2015. Das 174 publicações encontradas, 135 foram excluídas e 17 fizeram parte da revisão integrativa. Dentre os sintomas referidos, a rouquidão foi o mais citado e o exame videolaringoscopia, o mais utilizado, porém os parâmetros de análise dos exames, não foram unânimes. Entre os distúrbios da laringe, destacaram-se fenda glótica, nódulos e refluxo laringofaríngeo. O segundo artigo apresenta os resultados da pesquisa, incluindo o perfil sociodemográfico e a associação da autopercepção dos sintomas vocais relatados pelas docentes, com as análises do exame de videolaringoscopia. Os instrumentos aplicados foram questionário e os protocolos Índice de Triagem do Distúrbio de Voz, Perfil de Participação e Atividades Vocais e registro de videolaringoscopia. Observou-se predomínio de faixa etária entre 40 a 49 anos, sendo que 72(67%) lecionavam no Ensino Fundamental, 23(21%) Educação Infantil e Berçário, 12(11%) em Ensino Especial. Para o tempo de trabalho 33(31%) lecionam entre 1-10 anos, 46(43%) entre 11-20 anos e 28(26%) mais de 20 anos. Com relação ao turno de trabalho, 56(52%) trabalhavam em um período, 46 (43%) em dois e 5(5%) em mais de dois turnos ou periodos. Houve prevalência de docentes com sintomas vocais referidos de 82 (77%) e 44(41%) com alterações de laringe ao exame videolaringoscópico. Os dados foram descritos por análise bivariada e razão de chances encontrando significância entre os sintomas rouquidão (p=0.005), perda na voz (p=0.042) e quebras na voz (p=0.002). No exame videolaringoscópico, 19(18%) docentes apresentaram sinais de refluxo laringofaringeo, 16(15%) nódulos, 5(5%) fenda e 4(4%) pólipo de pregas vocais associados aos sintomas de rouquidão, perda da voz e quebra da voz (p<0.05). Houve significância entre os sintomas rouquidão (p=0.005), perda na voz (p=0.042) e quebras na voz (p=0.002) em relação aos achados videolaringoscópicos. Cansaço ao falar (21%), foi o sintoma vocal mais referido pelas docentes. Não houve associação significativa entre os dados sóciodemograficos e as alterações de laringe encontradas no exame de videolaringoscopia. Conclusão: Na revisão bibliográfica, não foram encontradas publicações que associassem os protocolos Índice de Triagem do Distúrbio de Voz (IDTV) e Perfil de Participação e Atividades Vocais (PPAV) com exame de videolaringoscopia.Este estudo evidenciou associação significativa entre os sintomas vocais rouquidão, perda da voz e quebra da voz referidos pelas docentes com as alterações laríngeas encontradas no exame videolaringoscópico. Contudo, foram identificados docentes com sintomas e alterações ao exame de videolaringoscopia, assim como docentes com sintomas e sem alterações ao exame e docentes sem sintomas, mas com exame de videolaringoscopia alterado, além de limitações e restrições nas atividades diárias, na presença de distúrbios vocais.