Impact of Vocal Fatigue on Acoustic and Aerodynamic Parameters in Elite Voice Professionals Diagnosed with Mild Laryngeal Pathology

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impact of vocal fatigue on acoustic and aerodynamic parameters in professional voice users, focusing on habitual and high-pitch phonation conditions. Methods: Twenty-four professional voice users, primarily categorized as Level 1 elite vocal performers, participated in this study. The participants were divided into two groups (high vs. low vocal fatigue) based on their scores on the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI). Acoustic data were collected at habitual and high-pitch phonation, while aerodynamic data were obtained separately. Acoustic analysis included Jitter, Shimmer, Noise-to-Harmonics Ratio (NHR), and fundamental frequency (F0), while aerodynamic assessments included maximum phonation time (MPT) and mean flow rate (MFR). Results: Significant differences in Jitter, Shimmer, and F0 were observed between habitual and high-pitch phonation conditions. The high VF group showed significantly high Jitter than the low VF group, while no significant differences were found in other acoustic and aerodynamic parameters. Correlation analysis revealed that VFI scores were positively correlated with high-pitch Jitter, high-pitch Shimmer, and MFR, and negatively correlated with MPT. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the unique susceptibility of professional voice users to vocal fatigue, influenced by their occupational vocal demands. The findings emphasize the strong relationship between subjective vocal fatigue and objective acoustic-aerodynamic features, particularly under high-pitch phonation condition. These results underscore the importance of multidimensional assessments, integrating both subjective and objective measures, to enhance the evaluation and management of vocal fatigue in professional voice users.