2024/02/29 by Calvache, Carlos
#Medicine and Health Sciences #Swallowing #Voice #Voice Rehabilitation
paper · doi:10.17605/osf.io/65dfh
Background: Dysphonia, affecting a significant portion of the global population, poses substantial social and economic burdens. The intricate interplay between phonation and deglutition disorders necessitates innovative therapeutic approaches. Cross-therapy, applying swallowing rehabilitation maneuvers for phonatory improvement, offers potential yet underexplored benefits. Objective: To assess the efficacy and applicability of cross-therapy in managing dysphonia, aiming to fill the existing gap in therapeutic interventions by evaluating this novel approach's benefits over conventional methods. Method: An exhaustive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, for studies published between July 2013 and July 2023. The selection criteria focused on studies exploring the use of swallowing maneuvers in phonation rehabilitation, encompassing randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and observational studies. A total of 1665 articles were initially identified, with 7 meeting the stringent inclusion criteria for detailed analysis and meta-analysis. Results: The meta-analysis of the selected studies highlighted a positive trend in the improvement of phonatory functions following cross-therapy interventions. Variability in study designs, participant demographics, and outcome measures was observed, indicating a broad spectrum of cross-therapy's applicability. Quantitative synthesis revealed statistically significant improvements in voice quality and reduction in dysphonia symptoms across diverse patient groups. Conclusions: Cross-therapy emerges as a promising approach for dysphonia management, offering a novel perspective on the utilization of swallowing maneuvers to improve voice disorders. The findings advocate for the integration of cross-therapy into clinical practice, emphasizing the need for further research to establish standardized protocols and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying its efficacy.