Subjects and setting
From September 2020 to April 2021, patients presenting to our laryngology unit with severe-to-critical COVID-19 infection and intubation histories were consecutively included. Patients consulted for voice or swallowing disorders that developed in the few weeks/months after the COVID-19 hospitalization. The COVID-19 infection had to be confirmed through RT-PCR or serology. The patients with the following exclusion criteria were excluded from the analysis: asthma and use of inhaled corticosteroids, neurological or psychiatric illness, previous history of neck surgery or trauma, malignancy, history of head and neck radiotherapy and tracheal stenosis. The Hospital IRB reviewed and approved the study (ref.202201). A waiver of informed consent of study participants was granted because participant data were protected and anonymized.