The factors associated with allergic rhinitis in the dysphonic professional voice users

Abstract

© 2017, Serbian Medical Society. All rights reserved. Objective. The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency of allergic rhinitis in dysphonic professional voice users and to assess the correlation between allergic rhinitis and demographic characteristics (sex, ages and years in occupation) and presence of laryngopharyngeal reflux, as comorbidity health condition. Methods. A total of 104 male and female dysphonic patients who came to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Health Centre Kragujevac, Serbia because of the presence of dysphonia symptoms and who used their voice more than 4 hours per day at job were included in the study. The patients underwent rigid or transnasal fiberoptic laryngoscopy with videostroboscopy to assess the causes of dysphonia. Descriptive analysis, Pearson Chi-Square Tests and Binary Logistic regression were carried out using the SPSS 19.0 statistical software package. Results. Frequency of allergic rhinitis in dysphonic professional voice users was 44.2%. The patients were 1.1 times more likely to have allergic rhinitis with each passing year of life. Allergic rhinitis is with each year in occupation 0.89 times less frequent and 0.035 times less often in patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux. Conclusion. In dysphonic professional voice users, it has been found that allergic rhinitis occurs rarely with each year in occupation, which means that allergic rhinitis is not a predisposing factor for developing dysphonia, but year in occupation are a protective factor when it comes to the appearance of allergic rhinitis in the examined population.