Voice Assessment in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Exploratory Study on Associations with Bulbar and Respiratory FunctionShow others and affiliations
2024 (English)In: Brain Sciences, E-ISSN 2076-3425, Vol. 14, no 11, article id 1082
Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Background: Speech production is a possible way to monitor bulbar and respiratory functions in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Moreover, the emergence of smartphone-based data collection offers a promising approach to reduce frequent hospital visits and enhance patient outcomes. Here, we studied the relationship between bulbar and respiratory functions with voice characteristics of ALS patients, alongside a speech therapist's evaluation, at the convenience of using a simple smartphone. Methods: For voice assessment, we considered a speech therapist's standardized tool-consensus auditory-perceptual evaluation of voice (CAPE-V); and an acoustic analysis toolbox. The bulbar sub-score of the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) was used, and pulmonary function measurements included forced vital capacity (FVC%), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP%), and maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP%). Correlation coefficients and both linear and logistic regression models were applied. Results: A total of 27 ALS patients (12 males; 61 years mean age; 28 months median disease duration) were included. Patients with significant bulbar dysfunction revealed greater CAPE-V scores in overall severity, roughness, strain, pitch, and loudness. They also presented slower speaking rates, longer pauses, and higher jitter values in acoustic analysis (all p < 0.05). The CAPE-V's overall severity and sub-scores for pitch and loudness demonstrated significant correlations with MIP% and MEP% (all p < 0.05). In contrast, acoustic metrics (speaking rate, absolute energy, shimmer, and harmonic-to-noise ratio) significantly correlated with FVC% (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results provide supporting evidence for the use of smartphone-based recordings in ALS patients for CAPE-V and acoustic analysis as reliable correlates of bulbar and respiratory function.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MDPI , 2024. Vol. 14, no 11, article id 1082
Keywords [en]
ALS; acoustic analysis; personalized medicine; digital health
National Category
Other Medical Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-210332DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14111082ISI: 001364725100001PubMedID: 39595845OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-210332DiVA, id: diva2:1919958
Note
Funding Agencies|Foundation for Science and Technology; [PTDC/MEC-NEU/6855/2020]
2024-12-102024-12-102024-12-10