Dysphonia in the aging: Physiology versus disease

TLDR

In older adults, dysphonia is frequently caused by disease processes such as neurological disorders, vocal fold lesions, inflammation, neoplasia, and paralysis, rather than by normal aging alone. The authors performed a chart review of 151 dysphonic patients older than 60 to characterize age‑related voice disorders. The review found that most dysphonia in this cohort was attributable to disease processes, with only six patients showing presbylaryngeal changes. No additional metadata provided.

Abstract

Abstract A chart review from 151 dysphonic patients over the age of 60 was done to define aging related voice disorders. Overwhelmingly, patients suffered from dysphonia due to disease processes associated with aging rather than to physiologic aging alone. These include: 1. central neurological disorders affecting laryngeal function ( e.g. , stroke, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, Alzheimer's disease); 2. benign vocal fold lesions ( e.g. , Reinke's edema, benign and dysplastic epithelial lesions); 3. inflammatory disorders ( e.g. , laryngitis sicca, medication effect); 4. laryngeal neoplasia; and 5. laryngeal paralysis. Typical laryngeal findings of vocal fold bowing and breathiness consistent with presbylarynges were present in only six patients. Presbylarynges is not a common disorder and should be a diagnosis of exclusion made only after careful medical and speech evaluation.