An Epidemiological Analysis of Vocal Fold Atrophy at the Tokyo Voice Center

Vocal fold atrophy (VFA) is the most common voice disorder, and its morbidity increases with age. To update the epidemiological understanding of VFA by assessing prevalence and phonographic characteristics by age, sex, and occupation. A single-center retrospective chart review examined records of patients newly diagnosed with VFA from January 2020 to December 2022, analyzing age, sex, maximum phonation time (MPT), Voice Handicap Index (VHI), occupation, and voice disease complications. Six hundred-and-ten patients (319 women, 291 men), ages 17 to 96 (median 64; mean 61.14), were included. Most were in their 70s, with a higher proportion of women overall, but a greater number of men in their 60s, and an equal sex distribution in their 70s. Among those ≥60, there were 185 women and 189 men. Some were diagnosed with atrophy at a young age. Most participants were unemployed, and functional dysphonia was the most common complication. A moderately negative correlation was found between VHI and MPT in unemployed men, while other analyses showed no or weak correlations between age, sex, occupation, and complications. VFA does not exclusively impact older adults. Early diagnosis and simple tests could potentially extend healthy life expectancy in unemployed men with VFA.