Gender-specific reference ranges of the vocal extent measure in young and healthy adults

Abstract

Objective: The recently developed vocal extent measure (VEM) quantifies a patient’s vocal capacity as documented in the voice range profile (VRP). This study presents the first reference ranges of the VEM for young subjects without voice complaints. Furthermore, this study investigates the influence of gender on the VEM as well as the correlation of the VEM with the dysphonia severity index (DSI).

Patients and methods: Reference ranges were captured by combining a retrospective analysis of subjects who received a medical fitness certificate of a healthy voice (n = 135) and a prospective analysis of adult volunteers without voice complaints (n = 67). Every participant obtained a standardized voice assessment comprising videolaryngostroboscopy, auditory-perceptual analysis, acoustic analysis, VRP, and the Voice Handicap Index (VHI-9i).

Results: A total of 202 subjects were recruited and investigated. Due to our stringent selection criteria, 51 participants had to be excluded from further analysis. The remaining data of 151 participants (52 males, 99 females), aged 18–39 years (mean 24, SD 5), were analysed in more detail. The mean of the VEM amounted to 123.7 (SD 12.6) for males and 114.4 (SD 13.3) for females. The values differed significantly between both sexes and correlated significantly with the corresponding DSI values.

Conclusion: By introducing the first reference values, this study represents the next step of implementing the VEM in daily phoniatric diagnostics. These values serve as a basis to interpret the VEM regarding the degree of severity of voice disorders and to evaluate treatment success.

Keywords:

• Vocal extent measure (VEM)
• voice range profile quantification
• objective voice diagnostics
• normative voice data

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor change. This change do not impact the academic content of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marie-Louise Freymann

Marie-Louise Freymann, BSc studied patholinguistics and German as a Foreign Language. She practiced as a speech and language therapist and is currently a final-year medical student at Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Germany. Her research interests concern clinical implementation and standardization of the Vocal Extent Measure.

Philipp Mathmann

Philipp Mathmann, MD, studied medicine at the University of Münster and works as a visiting scientist at the Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Germany. In addition he enjoys a varied career as soprano/countertenor in Europe. His research interests concern voice medicine including vocal physiology and technique.

Julius Rummich

Julius Rummich, MTA-F, is a medical technical assistant at the Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Germany. His research interests concern objective diagnostics of voice and hearing disorders.

Constanze Müller

Constanze Müller, MD, studied medicine at Charité – University Medicine Berlin and is currently working in her final year of specialization in internal medicine at HELIOS Kliniken Schwerin, Germany. Her research interests concern experimental investigations on objective voice parameters including the Vocal Extent Measure.

Konrad Neumann

Konrad Neumann, Dr. rer. nat., PhD, is a Research Assistant at Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Germany. His main areas of expertise include clinical study planning and evaluation, data management and methodological research.

Tadeus Nawka

Tadeus Nawka, MD, PhD, is a Professor at the Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Germany. He is the Head of the department's Voice Center and President of the European Academy of Phoniatrics. His main research interests concern voice, breathing and swallowing disorders with emphasis on diagnostics and therapy, in particular phonosurgery.

Philipp P. Caffier

Philipp P. Caffier, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Audiology and Phoniatrics, Charité – University Medicine Berlin, Germany. His main research interests are laryngology, phonosurgery, and musicians' medicine, including the diagnostics and treatment of voice and hearing disorders.