Frequency of benign vocal cord lesions in patients presenting with hoarseness of voice.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence and associations of benign vocal cord lesions with demographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of ENT, Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. Period: April 4, 2023, to October 4, 2023. Methods: A total of 245 patients aged 40–60 years with hoarseness of voice were included. Patients with malignant vocal cord neoplasms or recent surgical interventions were excluded. Clinical, radiological, and endoscopic evaluations were performed to diagnose BVCLs. Data on demographic and clinical factors were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, with p ≤ 0.05 considered significant. Results: The mean age of participants was 42.38 ± 12.79 years, with an average disease duration of 4.39 ± 1.84 months. BVCLs were present in 41.6% of patients. Males had a higher prevalence (43.4%) compared to females (35.7%). Among social classes, prevalence was 41.2% in poor, 40.8% in middle-class, and 43.1% in rich individuals. Diabetes mellitus showed a significant association with BVCLs (p = 0.044), while other factors such as age, hypertension, smoking, and tobacco usage were not significantly associated (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Benign vocal cord lesions are prevalent, with significant associations observed with diabetes mellitus. Routine screening for BVCLs in high-risk populations and interventions to address modifiable risk factors are recommended.