[Laryngeal disease. Endoscopic characterization of 1493 procedures based on age].

BACKGROUND: Based on international epidemiology, some laryngeal diseases could be more frequent at certain ages. The objective was to describe endoscopic findings in patients through distinct decades of age in a laryngoscopy facility.

METHODS: retrospective and descriptive study; clinical and endoscopic records were collected from 1493 procedures performed between 2009 and 2015, and organized in five groups of age for analysis. Differences among them were analyzed by chi squared and ANOVA.

RESULTS: 70% of patients reported dysphonia as a main symptom; 24% of subjects were referred with cancer diagnosis and just 7% of them, showed findings related to malignancy; on the other hand, cancer suspicion increased in direct proportion with age (p < 0.0001); inespecific inflammation and other benign endoscopic manifestations (e.g. vocal fold paralysis, subglotic stenosis and nodules) represented 80% of the whole findings; 14% of the procedures were reported as normal. Glottic and supraglottic structures were the two regions affected by malignancy; this finding was directly related to advanced age, particularly in patients of 70 years of age or older. Finally, subglottic stenosis was observed in patients younger than 50 years of age (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Causes of laryngeal diseases are different in individuals according to their age. Carcinoma was more prevalent in adults of 70 years of age or older. Benign causes were secondary to inflammatory and functional conditions.