Disease related changes in vocal parameters of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background

As the duration of diabetes progresses, various disease related complications might occur in patients. The main goal of this paper is to compare acoustic and aerodynamic measures of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with a control group of healthy subjects.

Methods

A total of 91 subjects, 51 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM group) and 40 healthy volunteers (HV group) were participated in the study. Maximum phonation time (MPT) was captured for assessing phonatory mechanics. Acoustic voice parameters, including mean fundamental frequency (mean fo), jitter local (Jlocal), jitter absolute (Jabs), shimmer local (Slocal), shimmer decibel (SdB), and harmonics to noise ratio (HNR) were detected using the Praat software program.

Results

Only for Jabs, statically significant difference was found between the groups. There were no statically significant differences between any voice parameters of HV versus those with the duration of diabetes ≥10 years and the HbA1c level ≥7%. However, statically significant differences for MPT and Slocal were found between patients with neuropathy versus HV. In addition, a comparison between patients with voice complaint versus HV showed significant differences for Slocal and SdB.

Conclusions

The findings of the present study do not provide strong evidence about the possible effect of DM on the human voice. However, diabetic neuropathy is considered to be a factor affecting the voice parameters in the target population. The physicians should pay attention to the acoustic and aerodynamic voice parameters in patients with diabetes, particularly in those with neuropathy or voice complaints.

Keywords:

• Diabetes mellitus
• neuropathy
• voice disorders
• diabetic complications
• dysphonia

Author contributions

HG contributed in literature search, design of the study, and writing the manuscript. GA contributed in providing the clinical data and formal analysis. MY contributed in review and editing. All authors have contributed to interpretation and have critically reviewed the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hakan Gölaç

Hakan Gölaç is a PhD Student and Research Assistant at the Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Gazi University, Turkey. His primary research interests are voice and swallowing disorders.

Güzide Atalik

Güzide Atalik is a PhD at the Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Gazi University, Turkey. Her researches are focusing on aphasia and voice disorders.

Alper Kutalmış Türkcan

Alper Kutalmış Türkcan is an Otolaryngology Specialist at the Department of Otolaryngology, Gazi University, Turkey. His research focus is on laryngology.

Metin Yilmaz

Metin Yilmaz is a Professor at the Department of Otolaryngology, Gazi University, Turkey. He is mainly interested in laryngology and rhinology.