MULTIVARIATE-ANALYSIS OF OBJECTIVE VOCAL FUNCTION

No standard and valid multidimensional index of objective voice functi on has been developed that integrates the information generated from t he multiple objective parameters of voice function. The goals of this research were 1) to identify important objective voice parameters and 2) to create a multidimensional voice function index by combining rele vant parameters. We evaluated 97 dysphonic patients and 35 normal volu nteers on 14 objective voice parameters. Three multidimensional voice indices were created and evaluated: 1) nonweighted univariate index, 2 ) weighted odds ratio index, and 3) weighted multivariate regression i ndex. The univariate index required all 14 parameters, while the odds ratio and logistic regression models required only 4 parameters (frequ ency range, airflow at lips, maximum phonation time, and subglottic pr essure). The chi(2) values for the 3 models were 37.8, 37.6, and 46.0, respectively. All 3 indices were able to satisfactorily classify voic e function as normal or abnormal. However, the regression index perfor med best.