This is an early access version
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University of Banja Luka, Medical faculty , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Ear, Nose and Throat , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
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University of Banja Luka, Medical faculty, Banja Luka , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Ear, Nose and Throat , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
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University of Banja Luka, Medical faculty, Banja Luka , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Neurology , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska, Department of Ear, Nose and Throat , Banja Luka , Bosnia and Herzegovina
Introduction. Vocal fold paralysis (VFP) is characterized by the immobility of one or both vocal folds, leading to impaired phonation, which significantly affects the patient’s professional and social activities. The aim of this study was to examine the importance of the Voice-related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) questionnaire in assessing the quality of life (QL) of patients with VFP.
Methods. A retrospective study included 110 patients of both sexes, aged 18 to 70 years, diagnosed with VFP, treated between 2021 and 2023. The group with speech therapy (ST) included 80 patients, and the group without ST included 30 patients. The ear, nose and throat (ENT) and phoniatric examinations, as well as additional diagnostic tests, were performed. Patients were surveyed using the V-RQOL questionnaire to assess their quality of life.
Results. The highest frequency of VFP was observed in 39 (35.45%) patients with complications following thyroid surgery.
Patients in the ST group showed a statistically significant (p < 0.001) higher frequency of good (48.75%) and excellent (10%) QL compared to those in the non-ST group. The sensitivity of the total score of the V-RQOL questionnaire was 88.2%, correctly identifying ST patients.
Conclusion. The V-RQOL questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure for assessing the quality of life in patients with VFP.
Conceptualization, M.G. and D.V.; Methodology, M.G., D.V. and Z.N.; Supervision, M.G. and D.V.; Visualization, M.G. and D.V.; Writing – original draft, M.G. and D.V.; Writing – review & editing, M.G. and D.V.; Data curation, D.V., D.T. and Z.N.; Formal Analysis, D.T. and Z.N.; Investigation, D.T. and Z.N.; Software, D.T. and Z.N.; Validation, D.T. and Z.N. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
The authors received no specific funding for this work.
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