Increase in translaryngeal resistance during phonation in rheumatoid arthritis

Laryngeal involvement by RA is a common finding, but there have been no studies of laryngeal function in RA patients. This study was undertaken to determine if patients with rheumatoid arthritis have functional abnormalities of the upper airway during phonation which may be the result of synovitis of the laryngeal joints caused by RA. Translaryngeal resistance was measured in six patients with RA and six matched control subjects using an interrupter method to measure PSG and V̇ during vocalization. Patients with RA had a higher R (65.0 ± 8.15 cm H₂O/L/s) than control subjects (38.4 ± 7.43 cm H₂O/L/s [p<0.05]). This was the consequence of lower V̇ rates during phonation at similar PSG. We conclude that abnormalities of the larynx in RA patients are common and cause measurable physiologic abnormalities.