Introduction :This study aimed to evaluate the phonatory function of recovered COVID-19 survivors. The universal outbreak
of COVID-19 led to the occurrence of otolaryngological manifestations that raised concerns about the assessment of the
phonatory function in recovering patients.
Methods :This is a prospective, cross-sectional, case-controlled study carried out on 364 laboratory-confirmed non-critical
COVID-19 survivors and 100 as healthy controls. The study participants were classified into two groups according to the
disease severity. Group1 comprised 212 survivors who recovered from pneumonia and group 2 was made up of 152 survivors
of severe pneumonia. All patients were subjected to an auditory perceptual assessment of the voice (APA) and Maximum
Phonation Time (MPT) measurements.
Results: Phonasthenic manifestations were significantly more frequent in COVID-19 survivors than in controls (P < 0.000)
with a higher percentage recorded among severe pneumonia survivors (87.5%) than among pneumonia survivors (60.8%)
with a P value of < 0.01. Dysphonia and excessively soft loudness were significantly more common among survivors than
among controls (P < 0.002 and P < 0.000, respectively) with no significant difference between the patient groups. The MPT
was significantly shorter among survivors than among controls (P < 0.000). The mean MPT was 15.97 s in the control group,
10.72 s in the pneumonia group, and 8.88 s in the severe pneumonia group, with the differences between the groups being
statistically significant (P < 0.000), suggesting a higher impairment of lung volume and phonatory function in severe cases.
Conclusions: Phonasthenia, dysphonia, and decreased MPT could be otolaryngological manifestations of COVID-19. Laryngeal
function assessment should be considered in COVID-19 survivors.
Keywords :Phonasthenia · Dysphonia · COVID-19 survivors · MPT · Pneumonia