Voice and swallowing symptoms after thyroid surgery assessed using the ThyVoice online platform
Authors' conclusion
The ThyVoice online platform allows the assessment of patient-reported outcome measures in thyroid surgery. Voice morbidity appears to be more frequent than commonly reported, and this risk should the quoted during informed consent. Swallowing difficulties are mild but significant in the first 2 weeks.
Study context
- Population
- Patients undergoing thyroid surgery, 5 centres
- Participants
- 236 patients5 centres
- Outcome
- Progression of patient-reported voice and swallowing outcomes (VHI, VrQoL, EAT-10)
- Follow-up
- Preop, 2-6 weeks and 3-6-12 months after surgery
Methodological detailsonline platform (ThyVoice), patient-reported outcomes, Contributing centres: median 11 cases (range 2-186)
- Online platform (ThyVoice)
- Patient-reported outcomes
- Contributing centres: median 11 cases (range 2-186)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- VHI preop
- 41 ± 15
- VHI at 6 weeks
- 48 ± 21
- VHI at 6 months
- 41 ± 15
- VrQoL preop
- 12 ± 4
- VrQoL increased to
- 15 ± 6
- VrQoL at 6 months
- 12 ± 4
- Severe voice changes (VHI > 60) preop
- 12%
- Severe voice changes at 2 weeks
- 22%
- Severe voice changes at 6 weeks
- 18%
- Severe voice changes at 3 months
- 13%
- Severe voice changes at 12 months
- 7%
- EAT-10 swallowing score preop, median (IQR)
- 0 (0-3)
- EAT-10 swallowing score at 2 weeks, median (IQR)
- 2 (0-8)
- Swallowing scores after 2 weeks
- normal values
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Persistent severe voice changes after 6-12 months in patients with normal preop voice
- Patients
- 5
VHI in patients with severe voice changes at 2 weeks · 2 weeks to 6 months
- Median VHI at 2 weeks (IQR)
- 70.5 (65-81)
- Median VHI at 6 months (IQR)
- 54 (39-65)
- Significant improvement
- P < 0.001
Original publication
Voice and swallowing symptoms after thyroid surgery assessed using the ThyVoice online platform. Eur Thyroid J. Published 21 June 2023. doi:10.
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