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Anxiety and depression in patients with vocal fold nodules, edema and polyps

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To compare the prevalence and severity of depression and anxiety among patients with vocal fold (VF) nodules, polyps and edema. At the same time the aim was to analyse association between severity of distress and the level of vocal handicap as well as to identify other factors related to severity of depression and anxiety in these patients.

Methods

To all participants were given five questionnaires: (1) questionnaire on socio-demographic and some other characteristics of patient; (2) Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI); (3) State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) 1 (State Anxiety); (4) STAI 2 (Trait Anxiety); and (5) Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-10.

Results

A total of 205 patients were included in this study. Mild-to-severe depression, according to BDI was present in 79 (38.6%) patients. Mild-to-severe state anxiety and trait anxiety were present in 199 (97.1%) and 200 (97.6%) patients, respectively. Only 10 patients had VHI-10 score ≤ 11. Multivariate analyses showed that there were no significant differences in the level of depression and anxiety between patients with VF nodules, polyps and edema. The VHI-10 score was significantly higher in patients with VF edema in comparison with VF nodule patients (p = 0.001), as well as in comparison with VF polyp patients (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

The present study identified a high prevalence of psychological and vocal distress among patients with vocal disorders. Severity of depression and anxiety did not differ between patients with VF nodules, polyps and edema, and it was not related to the level of vocal handicap.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Jadranka M. Maksimovic & Hristina D. Vlajinac

  2. Clinic of Otorhinolaryngology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Pasterova 2, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Milan M. Vukasinovic, Ana D. Jotic & Jovica P. Milovanovic

  3. Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Ana D. Jotic & Jovica P. Milovanovic

  4. Institute of Mental Health, Belgrade, Serbia

    Maja S. Milovanovic

  5. Faculty for Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Maja S. Milovanovic

  6. Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russian Federation

    Sergey Y. Ivanov

  7. Institute of Hygiene and Medical Ecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia

    Milos Z. Maksimovic

Authors
  1. Jadranka M. Maksimovic
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  2. Milan M. Vukasinovic
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  3. Hristina D. Vlajinac
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  4. Ana D. Jotic
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  5. Maja S. Milovanovic
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  6. Sergey Y. Ivanov
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  7. Milos Z. Maksimovic
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  8. Jovica P. Milovanovic
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jovica P. Milovanovic.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Maksimovic, J.M., Vukasinovic, M.M., Vlajinac, H.D. et al. Anxiety and depression in patients with vocal fold nodules, edema and polyps. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 2493–2500 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06001-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06001-y

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