Objective: We aimed to assess the equivalence of translations of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Patients and Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess equivalence of the US version and several translations including (1) Dutch, (2) Flemish Dutch (Belgium), (3) UK English, (4) French, (5) German, (6) Italian, (7) Portuguese and (8) Swedish. VHI questionnaires were gathered from 1,281 subjects. Patients were classified into 11 voice lesion categories. Patients with incomplete response (4%) and patients within voice lesion categories with small numbers were excluded from further analyses, leaving a cohort of 1,052 patients from 8 countries. Results: The internal consistency of the VHI proved to be good. Confirmatory factor analysis across countries revealed that a 3-factor fixed measurement model best fitted the data; the 3 subscales appeared to highly intercorrelated, especially in the US data. The underlying structure of the VHI was also equivalent regarding various voice lesions, but distinct groups were recognized with respect to the height of the VHI scores, indicating that various voice lesions lead to a diversity of voice problems in daily life. Conclusion: The US VHI and the translations appeared to be equivalent, which means that the results from studies from the various included countries can be compared.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients are affected by hypokinetic dysarthria, characterized by hypophonia and dysprosody, which worsens with disease progression. Levodopa’s (L-dopa) effect on quality of speech is inconclusive; no data are currently available for late-stage PD (LSPD). Objective: To assess the modifications of speech and voice in LSPD following an acute L-dopa challenge. Method: LSPD patients (Schwab and England 3 [MED ON]) performed several vocal tasks before and after an acute L-dopa challenge. The following was assessed: respiratory support for speech, voice quality, stability and variability, speech rate and motor performance (MDS-UPDRS-III). All voice samples were recorded and analyzed by a speech and language therapist blinded to patients’ therapeutic condition using Praat 5.1 software. Results: 24/27 (14 men) LSPD patients succeeded in performing voice tasks. Median age and disease duration of patients was 79 [IQR: 71.5-81.7] and 14.5 [IQR: 11-15.7] years, respectively. In MED OFF, respiratory breath support and pitch break time of LSPD patients were worse than the normative values of non-parkinsonian. A correlation was found between disease duration and voice quality (R=0.51; p=0.013) and speech rate (R= -0.55; p=0.008). L-dopa significantly improved MDS-UPDRS-III score (20%), with no effect on speech as assessed by clinical rating scales and automated analysis. Conclusion: Speech is severely affected in LSPD. Although L-dopa had some effect on motor performance, including axial signs, speech and voice did not improve. The applicability and efficacy of non-pharmacological treatment for speech impairment should be considered for speech disorder management in PD.

Objective: Constructing an internationally applicable short-scale of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Methods: Subjects were 1,052 patients with 5 different types of voice disorder groups from Belgium, France, Sweden, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, and the USA. Different 9- and 12-item subsets were selected from the 30 VHI items using (1) the first factor of an unrotated factor analysis (narrow range subsets) and (2) the first three factors after promax rotation (broad range subsets). Country-specific subsets were selected to test deviations from the international subsets. For all subsets, reliability was investigated using Cronbach’s alphas and correlations with the total VHI. Validity was investigated using regression on voice disorder groups. All analyses were performed for the total and for all country-specific subject samples. Results: Reliability was high for all item subsets. It was lower for the international compared to the country-specific subsets and for the broad range compared to the narrow range subsets. Validity was best for the broad range subsets. Validity was better for the international than for the country-specific subsets. For all statistics the 12-item subsets were not essentially better than the 9-item subsets. Conclusion: The international broad range 9-item subset forms a scale which approximates well the total VHI.

International audienceCross-linguistic studies aim at determining the similarities and differences in speech production by uncovering linguistic adaptations to specific constraints and environments. In the field of motor speech disorders, such a cross-language approach could be of great interest to understand not only the deficits of speech production that are induced by the pathology, but also the difficulties that are induced by the linguistic constraints specific to the patients' language. From a more clinical point of view, cross-linguistic studies should specifically focus on the relationship between speech disorders and speech intelligibility. The aim of this opinion article is to identify the currently scarce theoretical and clinical avenues for cross-linguistic studies of dysarthria in Parkinson's disease, and to establish guidelines that would lead future research in this direction. In turn, the practical and behavioral management of dysarthria in Parkinson's disease has so far only focused on the 'universal' dimensions of speech production and feedback (e.g., treatment of loudness and dysprosody). Such approaches could benefit immensely from proper recommendations that would be more 'language-driven' and individually adapted to the patients' language environment. An additional factor to consider for a better understanding and treatment of dysarthria in PD is the role of adjustment and cultural identity