Voice Evaluation of Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyposis: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common disabling condition that affects 5-12% of the general population. The impact of CRS on voice has garnered interest due to the increasing number of individuals relying on their voice professionally. Previous studies have shown inconsistent results due to heterogeneous study groups and varying outcome measures. The objective of this study was to investigate the voice characteristics of a large homogenous group of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis and nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) and normal laryngeal examination. Methods: Adult patients presenting to the rhinology clinic of a tertiary referral center between March 2023 and March 2024 with a diagnosis of CRSwNP and normal laryngeal examination were recruited. Subjects matched by age and gender and with no history of CRSwNP and normal laryngeal examination were recruited as controls. Primary voice outcome measures consisted of the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) and acoustic/aerodynamic parameters including percent shimmer, percent jitter, noise-to-harmonic ratio, voice turbulence index, and maximum phonation time. Results: A total of 58 patients were included and divided into a study group (n = 29 cases) and a control group (n = 29). There was a statistically significant difference in the mean VHI-10 score of the study group compared to the control group (8.14 +/- 4.01 vs. 2.79 +/- 2.73, p < 0.001). Moreover, there was a moderate to strong correlation between the VHI-10 score and the SNOT-22 score (r = 0.612; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in any of the acoustic and aerodynamic parameters between the study group and control group (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Patients with CRSwNP are more likely to have vocal symptoms that impact their quality of life in comparison to controls. Early recognition of these vocal symptoms should prompt early treatment to avoid any structural or functional voice disorders.