Effects of environmental tobacco smoke on objective measures of voice production.

OBJECTIVE

The effects of passive smoking on the voice and laryngeal structures of 20 female passive smokers and 20 age-matched nonsmokers were examined.

METHODS

The voice evaluation consisted of acoustic, aerodynamic, and videostroboscopic analyses.

RESULTS

Three passive smokers displayed mild edema or erythema. Passive smokers had higher mean flow rates and shorter mean maximum phonation times during sustained vowels at comfortable, low-, and high-pitch levels. However, means were only outside normal limits and significantly different from nonsmokers at high pitch. Variables such as the number of years and hours per day subjects were exposed to environmental tobacco smoke were considered.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of the variables indicated that vocal fold structure and function were not adversely altered by exposure to passive smoke. Differences between these results and clinical observations are highlighted.