The Reflux Symptoms Index (RSI), a nine-item self-rated questionnaire, has been suggested as a way of monitoring severity of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms during treatment. However, limited research has been conducted to assess the validity of the RSI as a way of identifying severity of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms as differentiated from gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms. Twenty-five post-pubescent female vocalists participated by completing a one-hour voice evaluation, including a Voice Handicap Index (VHI), an RSI, a Reflux Finding Score (RFS) completed with videostroboscopy for visualization of the laryngeal cavity, and analysis of an acoustic sample with the Multi-Dimensional Voice Profile for noise to harmonic ratio (NHR) and perceptual ratings of hoarseness and breathiness. The investigation placed each participant into one of three groups based upon symptoms reported in her case history form. In an effort to evaluate the validity of the RSI as a tool for differentiating LPR from GER and the absence of reflux, these scores were analyzed for correlations or group relationships. Predictions were that, if the RSI were an indicator of severity of LPR, the RSI raw score would correlate with type of symptoms, RFS raw score, NHR, and/or perceptions of hoarseness. Results failed to reveal statistically significant group differences; however, informal inspection of the data indicated that the RSI scores were generally higher for the GER group than the LPR and asymptomatic groups. Also, RSI scores correlated with VHI raw scores, as both were self-rated items, and the NHR values and the perceptual ratings of hoarseness correlated with the VHI raw scores.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LSU/oai:etd.lsu.edu:etd-01232006-134857 |
| Date | 25 January 2006 |
| Creators | Overall, Natalie Herpin |
| Contributors | Paul Hoffman, Janna Oetting, Hugh Buckingham |
| Publisher | LSU |
| Source Sets | Louisiana State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-01232006-134857/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached herein a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to LSU or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below and in appropriate University policies, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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