Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Spasmodic Dysphonia Interviews

This study is looking for people with a voice disorder called Spasmodic Dysphonia. This condition causes sudden, uncontrolled spasms in the voice box, changing how a person speaks throughout their life. Many people with voice disorders find that it impacts their quality of life and work. The main treatment for Spasmodic Dysphonia is special injections of botulinum toxin into the voice box to calm these spasms. Researchers want to talk to 20 people who have this condition and have had these injections. They hope to understand how Spasmodic Dysphonia affects people's lives, including their social life and work, and how the injections help to manage these challenges.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Enrolment target

Start

20 Aug 2024

Estimated completion

30 Sep 2025

Spasmodic Dysphonia Quality of Life

What is this study about?

This research project is designed to understand more about living with Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD), a condition that causes your voice box to go into sudden, uncontrolled spasms, changing how you speak. Many studies have shown that when people have voice disorders, it can affect their daily life and even their ability to work. This study wants to dig deeper into these experiences for people with SD.

The main treatment for Spasmodic Dysphonia involves getting injections of a medicine called botulinum toxin (often shortened to BT) directly into the muscles of your voice box. These injections help to relax the muscles and reduce the spasms. The researchers previously did a smaller study with 10 people and found that SD seemed to have a big impact on their lives. Now, they want to do a larger, official study to get more detailed information.

The researchers are particularly interested in two main questions: Firstly, how does Spasmodic Dysphonia affect people's social lives, their jobs, and their financial situation? And secondly, what role do the botulinum toxin injections play in helping people manage these aspects of their lives? By answering these questions, they hope to get a better picture of the challenges people with SD face and how current treatments help.

Key takeaways

This study explores how Spasmodic Dysphonia affects daily life.
It also looks at the role of botulinum toxin injections in managing the condition.
Participants will be interviewed about their experiences.
Only adults diagnosed with Spasmodic Dysphonia who have had botulinum toxin injections can join.
The study aims to improve understanding for future patient support.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be an adult, aged 18 or older, and have received a diagnosis of Spasmodic Dysphonia from a doctor.

You also need to have had at least one botulinum toxin injection for your Spasmodic Dysphonia already. Both men and women are welcome to take part.

You cannot join if you are under 18 years old. Also, if you have other serious conditions affecting your voice box that are not Spasmodic Dysphonia, this study might not be right for you.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Have you been diagnosed with Spasmodic Dysphonia?
Have you had at least one botulinum toxin injection for your voice condition?
Do you not have any other serious voice box conditions?
Are you willing to be interviewed about your experiences?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to participate in an interview. This interview will be designed to learn about your experiences of living with Spasmodic Dysphonia and how the treatments you receive affect your daily life, work, and social activities. The researchers will be looking for a total of 20 people to speak with.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in this study might help researchers better understand the challenges people with Spasmodic Dysphonia face and how treatments work, potentially improving support for others in the future. The main 'risk' is that talking about your experiences might bring up emotional feelings, but you can stop the interview at any time if you feel uncomfortable. You always have the right to withdraw from the study at any point without giving a reason.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Verified postcode
Manchester, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is Spasmodic Dysphonia?

It's a voice condition where your voice box muscles have sudden, uncontrolled spasms, changing how you speak.

What are botulinum toxin injections?

These are special injections given into the voice box muscles to relax them and reduce the spasms caused by Spasmodic Dysphonia.

Will I get paid to take part?

The information provided does not say if participants will be paid. You should ask the study team this question.

How long will the interview take?

The study information doesn't specify the interview length. You should ask the study team for details.

Do I have to travel for this study?

The study details don't mention where the interviews will take place. You should ask the study team about the location and any travel involved.