Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate hyaluronic acid (HA) concentrations in vocal folds among patients with Reinke's edema.
Study design: Prospective and experimental study.
Setting: Single tertiary center.
Methods: An HA binding protein isolated from bovine nasal cartilage was used to identify and isolate the HA from samples. Plates coated with biotin-conjugated binding protein and streptavidin-europium conjugate were sequentially incubated with 18 Reinke's edema samples and 11 female vocal fold cover samples from cadavers (the superficial layer of the lamina propria; control group). After the release of europium from streptavidin in enhancement solution, final fluorescence was measured in a fluorometer.
Results: The mean HA concentration in Reinke's edema vocal folds was significantly higher than that in the control vocal folds (9.2 × 103 vs 0.9 × 103µg/g).
Conclusion: Vocal fold covers affected by Reinke's edema present a higher concentration of HA than do vocal fold covers with no edema.
Keywords: extracellular matrix; hyaluronic acid; laryngeal edema; mucous membrane; vocal folds.