Voice characteristics of acromegaly

Abstract

Acromegaly’s effect on voice is still indefinite. We aimed to define acoustic characteristics of patients with acromegaly. Cross-sectional case–control study was designed. Thirty-seven patients with acromegaly and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Fundamental frequency (F0) and measurements related to frequency, amplitude, noise and tremor of the obtained voice sample were analyzed using Multi-Dimensional Voice Program. Absolute jitter (Jita) and jitter percent (Jitt), shimmer in decibel and shimmer percent, noise to harmonic ratio and soft phonation index, fundamental frequency tremor frequency and frequency tremor intensity index represented the parameters related to frequency, amplitude, noise and tremor of the voice sample, respectively. Patients with acromegaly, especially the uncontrolled patients, exhibited significant differences in frequency perturbation measurements. Jitt of all patients and Jita of uncontrolled patients were significantly higher than that of control group (p = 0.044 and p = 0.043, respectively). Jitter which is a measure of frequency perturbation can be assumed as an indicator of hoarse and deepened voice. Jita of all patients and Jitt of uncontrolled patients were elevated, but not reaching a statistical significance. Controlled and active patients had similar analysis of acoustic parameters. In the correlation analysis, shimmer and IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor 1) was found to be positively correlated in all patients with acromegaly and in female patients. When the p value is adjusted according to Bonferroni correction regarding the use of ten parameters for acoustic analysis (so adjusted p is \0.005), all the statistically significant findings become insignificant. Considering the parameters test different properties of voice, it is reasonable to pay attention to the findings. Patients with acromegaly have increased frequency perturbations measures, but this increase is nonsignificant according to Bonferroni correction. This may be perceptually sensed as hoarse voice. Amplitude perturbations within the voice of the patients with acromegaly are positively correlated with IGF-1 levels, this correlation is also non-significant according to Bonferroni correction.