Linda Lee

Efficacy of vocal function exercises as a method of improving voice production

Objective voice analysis including acoustic, aerodynamic, and laryngeal videostroboscopic measures demonstrated normal voice in 35 adult women. The subjects were then randomly divided into experimental, placebo, and control groups. The experimental group engaged in vocal function exercises. The placebo group engaged in a placebo exercise program. Objective measures taken after 4 weeks of execise demonstrated significant changes in phonation volume, flow rate, maximum phonation time, and frequency range for the experimental group. No significant changes were noted in the measurements of the control and placebo groups.

Cellular Changes in Diabetic and Idiopathic Gastroparesis

BACKGROUND & AIMS Cellular changes associated with diabetic and idiopathic gastroparesis are not well described. The aim of this study was to describe histologic abnormalities in gastroparesis and compare findings in idiopathic versus diabetic gastroparesis. METHODS Full-thickness gastric body biopsy specimens were obtained from 40 patients with gastroparesis (20 diabetic) and matched controls. Sections were stained for H&E and trichrome and immunolabeled with antibodies against protein gene product (PGP) 9.5, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), vasoactive intestinal peptide, substance P, and tyrosine hydroxylase to quantify nerves, S100β for glia, Kit for interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), CD45 and CD68 for immune cells, and smoothelin for smooth muscle cells. Tissue was also examined by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS Histologic abnormalities were found in 83% of patients. The most common defects were loss of ICC with remaining ICC showing injury, an abnormal immune infiltrate containing macrophages, and decreased nerve fibers. On light microscopy, no significant differences were found between diabetic and idiopathic gastroparesis with the exception of nNOS expression, which was decreased in more patients with idiopathic gastroparesis (40%) compared with diabetic patients (20%) by visual grading. On electron microscopy, a markedly increased connective tissue stroma was present in both disorders. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that on full-thickness biopsy specimens, cellular abnormalities are found in the majority of patients with gastroparesis. The most common findings were loss of Kit expression, suggesting loss of ICC, and an increase in CD45 and CD68 immunoreactivity. These findings suggest that examination of tissue can lead to valuable insights into the pathophysiology of these disorders and offer hope that new therapeutic targets can be found.

Objective measures of voice production in normal subjects following prolonged voice use

Laryngeal fatigue affects the physical sensations, effort, and perceptual quality of voice production. The underlying physiology of fatigue is not well understood. Acoustic, aerodynamic, and videostroboscopic data were measured in 10 normal speakers before and after prolonged voice use. Significant changes were found in the fundamental frequency of connected speech. Anterior glottal chinks were induced in a majority of subjects. Implications are discussed.

Clinical Features of Idiopathic Gastroparesis Vary With Sex, Body Mass, Symptom Onset, Delay in Gastric Emptying, and Gastroparesis Severity

BACKGROUND & AIMS Idiopathic gastroparesis (IG) is a common but poorly understood condition with significant morbidity. We studied characteristics of patients with IG enrolled in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium Registry. METHODS Data from medical histories, symptom questionnaires, and 4-hour gastric emptying scintigraphy studies were obtained from patients with IG. RESULTS The mean age of 243 patients with IG studied was 41 years; 88% were female, 46% were overweight, 50% had acute onset of symptoms, and 19% reported an initial infectious prodrome. Severe delay in gastric emptying (>35% retention at 4 hours) was present in 28% of patients. Predominant presenting symptoms were nausea (34%), vomiting (19%), an abdominal pain (23%). Women had more severe nausea, satiety, constipation, and overall gastroparesis symptoms. Patients who experienced acute-onset IG had worse nausea than those with insidious onset. Overweight patients had more bloating and gastric retention at 2 hours but less severe loss of appetite. Patients with severely delayed gastric emptying had worse vomiting and more severe loss of appetite and overall gastroparesis symptoms. Severe anxiety and depression were present in 36% and 18%, respectively. A total of 86% met criteria for functional dyspepsia, primarily postprandial distress syndrome. CONCLUSIONS IG is a disorder that primarily affects young women, beginning acutely in 50% of cases; unexpectedly, many patients are overweight. Severe delay in gastric emptying was associated with more severe symptoms of vomiting and loss of appetite. IG is a diverse syndrome that varies by sex, body mass, symptom onset, and delay in gastric emptying.

Characteristics of Patients with Chronic Unexplained Nausea and Vomiting and Normal Gastric Emptying

BACKGROUND & AIMS Chronic nausea and vomiting with normal gastric emptying is a poorly understood syndrome; we analyzed its characteristics. METHODS We collected and analyzed data from 425 patients with chronic nausea and vomiting, enrolled at 6 centers by the Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Gastroparesis Registry. RESULTS Among the patients, 319 (75%) had delayed emptying, defined by the results of a standardized, low-fat meal, and 106 had normal gastric emptying. Patients with or without delayed emptying did not differ in age, sex, or race, although those with normal gastric emptying were less likely to be diabetic. Symptom severity indexes were similar between groups for nausea, retching, vomiting, stomach fullness, inability to complete a meal, feeling excessively full after meals, loss of appetite, bloating, and visibly larger stomach. There were no differences in health care utilization, quality of life indexes, depression, or trait anxiety scores. However, state anxiety scores were slightly higher among patients with delayed gastric emptying. Total gastroparesis cardinal symptom index scores were not correlated with gastric retention after 2 or 4 hours in either group. Patients with the syndrome were not adequately captured by the stand-alone criteria for the Rome III diagnoses of chronic idiopathic nausea and functional vomiting. With rare exceptions, the diagnosis remained stable after a 48-week follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS Patients with nausea and vomiting with normal gastric emptying represent a significant medical problem and are, for the most part, indistinguishable from those with gastroparesis. This syndrome is not categorized in the medical literature--it might be a separate clinical entity.

The value of vocal function exercises in the practice regimen of singers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of isometric-isotonic vocal function exercises, practiced regularly for 4 weeks, on parameters of voice production in the healthy singer. A total of 20 university graduate-level voice majors of similar age and vocal training were divided into experimental and control groups, each containing 3 men and 7 women. Each group continued their regular singing practice regimen and the experimental group added the vocal function exercise program. Assessment included acoustic and aerodynamic measures, videostroboscopic ratings, and subjective evaluations. Experimental subjects demonstrated significant improvements in posttest aerodynamic measures of flow rate, phonation volume, and maximum phonation times, suggesting an increase in glottal efficiency.

Similarities and Differences Between Diabetic and Idiopathic Gastroparesis

BACKGROUND & AIMS Gastroparesis can be diabetic or idiopathic, yet little is known about differences in their presentation. We compared clinical characteristics, symptoms, and gastric emptying in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetic (DG) or idiopathic (IG) gastroparesis. METHODS We analyzed data from 416 patients with gastroparesis who were enrolled in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Gastroparesis Registry; 254 had IG (most were female and white), and 137 had DG (78 had type 1 and 59 had type 2). Registry data included detailed histories, physical examinations, results from gastric emptying scintigraphy, and responses to validated symptom questionnaires. RESULTS Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were an average of 13 years older at the onset of symptoms of gastroparesis and heavier than patients with IG. Patients with type 1 DM had more hospitalizations in the past year than patients with IG. Symptoms that prompted evaluation more often included vomiting for DG and abdominal pain for IG. Patients with DG had more severe retching and vomiting than those with IG, whereas patients with IG had more severe early satiety and postprandial fullness subscores. Compared with IG, gastric retention was greater in patients with type 1 DM. More than 50% of patients with type 1 DM had severe retention (>35% at 4 hours); they took prokinetic agents more frequently and were more likely to receive gastric electric stimulation. CONCLUSIONS There are similarities and differences in clinical characteristics of DG and IG. Gastroparesis is a heterogeneous disorder; its etiology affects symptoms and severity. Long-term studies are needed to determine whether the differences in symptoms and gastric emptying affect progression and treatment responses.

Chapter 2 Use of fish cell lines in the toxicology and ecotoxicology of fish. Piscine cell lines in environmental toxicology

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the uses of one type, cell lines, in fish environmental toxicology and describes the nature of animal cell cultures. From the perspective of ecotoxicants, fish are especially important. Ecotoxicants are often released first into aquatic environments by a variety of routes. As many biological systems have been preserved throughout evolution, effects on the fish can serve as a warning of possible impacts on human health and fish can serve as laboratory models for studying ecotoxicants of concern to human health. Understanding the impact of ecotoxicants on the fish is of economic importance. Toxicology studies the effects of toxicants on individual organisms and ecotoxicology studies the impact of ecotoxicants on ecosystems. Both toxicology and ecotoxicology try to integrate toxicological information through the various hierarchical levels of biological organization, striving ultimately to explain the impact of toxicants on individuals and ecosystems. The chapter explains the advantages of animal cell cultures and toxicology applications and ecotoxicology applications of fish cell lines. The chapter evaluates common cellular responses with the help of cytotoxicit, cell growth, genotoxicity, and xenobiotic metabolism.

Aerodynamic changes as a result of vocal function exercises in elderly men.

Objectives/Hypothesis: Voice therapy can improve the vocal quality of elderly patients with voice problems, but the changes in vocal aerodynamics associated with physiologic voice therapy are not well documented. The purpose of the present study was to determine the changes in vocal aerodynamics as a result of the management program known as Vocal Function Exercises (VFEs).

Effect of nortriptyline on symptoms of idiopathic gastroparesis: The NORIG randomized clinical trial

IMPORTANCE Gastroparesis remains a challenging syndrome to manage, with few effective treatments and a lack of rigorously controlled trials. Tricyclic antidepressants are often used to treat refractory symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Evidence from well-designed studies for this use is lacking. OBJECTIVE To determine whether treatment with nortriptyline results in symptomatic improvement in patients with idiopathic gastroparesis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The NORIG (Nortriptyline for Idiopathic Gastroparesis) trial, a 15-week multicenter, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, double-masked, randomized clinical trial from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium (GpCRC), comparing nortriptyline with placebo for symptomatic relief in idiopathic gastroparesis. One hundred thirty patients with idiopathic gastroparesis were enrolled between March 2009 and June 2012 at 7 US academic medical centers. Patient follow-up was completed in October 2012. Inclusion criteria included delayed gastric emptying and moderate to severe symptom scores using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI). INTERVENTIONS Nortriptyline vs placebo. Study drug dose was increased at 3-week intervals (10, 25, 50, 75 mg) up to 75 mg at 12 weeks. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome measure of symptomatic improvement was a decrease from the patients baseline GCSI score of at least 50% on 2 consecutive 3-week GCSI assessments during 15 weeks of treatment. RESULTS The primary symptomatic improvement outcome did not differ between 65 patients randomized to nortriptyline vs 65 patients randomized to placebo: 15 (23% [95% CI, 14%-35%]) in the nortriptyline group vs 14 (21% [95% CI, 12%-34%]) in the placebo group (P = .86). Treatment was stopped more often in the nortriptyline group (19 [29% {95% CI, 19%-42%}]) than in the placebo group (6 [9%] {95% CI, 3%-19%}]) (P = .007), but numbers of adverse events were not different (27 [95% CI, 18-39] vs 28 [95% CI, 19-40]) (P = .89). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Among patients with idiopathic gastroparesis, the use of nortriptyline compared with placebo for 15 weeks did not result in improvement in overall symptoms. These findings do not support the use of nortriptyline for idiopathic gastroparesis. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00765895.