USEFULNESS OF THE VOICE HANDICAP INDEX-10 AS A SYMPTOM MONITORING TOOL IN ACUTE NON-INFECTIOUS LARYNGITIS ATTRIBUTED TO VARIOUS ETIOLOGIES: A PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY
Authors: Boddupally Srishailam*, Vemula Alekhya, Saai Ram Thejas
Publication Date: 2026/09/15
DOI: 10.59551/DOI: 10.59551/IJHMP/25832069/2026.7.2.151
Abstract
<p>Background: Acute non-infectious laryngitis is a common cause of sudden dysphonia and may arise from diverse etiologies including reflux, smoking, allergy, and professional voice use. Although diagnosis is primarily clinical, objective assessment alone may not adequately reflect patient-perceived voice impairment. The Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI 10) is a validated patient-reported outcome measure that quantifies impact of changes in voice.</p>
<p>Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of the VHI-10 in assessing symptom severity and monitoring treatment response in patients with acute non-infectious laryngitis across different etiological subgroups (GERD, LPRD, Smoking, Allergy and Voice Users).</p>
<p>Methods: VHI-10 scores were recorded at baseline and after 12 weeks of conservative and etiology-specific management. Statistical analysis was performed using paired student t-tests.</p>
<p>Results: All groups demonstrated statistically significant improvement in VHI-10 scores after 4 weeks (p < 0.01). The greatest improvement was observed in the smoking group, with a mean reduction of 16.7 points (69.3%), while the least improvement was seen in the allergic laryngitis group, with a mean reduction of 5.7 points (26.4%).</p>
<p>Conclusion: The Voice Handicap Index - 10 is a simple & inexpensive tool, yet potent to assess the Quality of Life in non-infectious laryngitis.</p>
<p>KEYWORDS: Allergic Laryngitis, Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux, Laryngopharyngeal Reflux, Voice Handicap Index-10.</p>
References
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