Sväljkapacitet kan skilja sig åt mellan olika åldrar och kön. Detta kan inverka på prestationen på så kallade vattensväljtest. Ingen uttömmande studie har gjorts angående effekt av ålder, kön och vattenmängd på sväljförmåga hos friska vuxna i Sverige. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att presentera normdata för tre olika mått på sväljförmåga: sväljtid, sväljkapacitet och antal klunkar vid 1 respektive 2 dl vatten hos friska vuxna, samt att undersöka effekter av vattenmängd och ålder respektive kön på sväljförmågan. 239 vuxna deltagare stratifierades utifrån ålder och kön. Under testförfarandet noterades sväljtid, antal klunkar samt övriga observanda. Resultatet visade signifikant längre sväljtid, lägre sväljkapacitet och fler klunkar såväl hos individer över 70 år som hos kvinnor. Tydligare skillnader kunde ses med den större vattenmängden. Dessutom framkom att 1 dl vatten inte mäter sekventiell sväljning hos samtliga individer. / Swallowing may differ between different age groups and genders. This may affect performance on water swallow tests. So far there have been no comprehensive studies on the effect of age, gender and water volume on the swallowing performance of healthy adults in Sweden. The aim of this study was to present normative data for three different measures of swallowing: swallowing time, swallowing capacity and number of swallows at 100 ml and 200 ml of water in healthy adults, and to examine possible effects on swallowing of age and gender. The 239 adult participants were stratified according to age and gender. During testing, time, number of swallows and a number of deviations were noted. Results showed significantly longer swallowing times, lower swallowing capacity and more swallows both in individuals older than 70 and in women. These differences were greater when using the larger volume of water. Furthermore, results showed that 100 ml of water was insufficient for measuring sequential swallowing in some individuals.

Relatively little is known about the role of the basal ganglia and their pathways in human deglutition. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a treatment for Parkinson Disease (PD) that stimulates the subthalamic nuclei and affords us a model for examining deglutition in humans with known impairment of the basal ganglia. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of DBS in the ON versus Off conditions on the oral and pharyngeal stages of deglutition in participants with PD. It was hypothesized that DBS in the ON condition would yield improvement in the following dependent variables: oral total composite score, pharyngeal total composite score, pharyngeal transit time, and maximal hyoid bone excursion. Statistically significant differences (improvement) were found for the pharyngeal composite score and pharyngeal transit time in the DBS ON condition. Findings of this study demonstrated that DBS in the ON condition helps to alleviate some of the bradykinesia and hypokinesia associated with PD on the pharyngeal stage of deglutition, but not the oral stage. These findings suggest that Parkinsonian swallowing dysfunction is not solely related to nigrostriatal dopamine deficiency which is purported to be the primary means of DBS alleviation of motor signs. Rather, it may be due to an additional non-dopamine related system of deglutition found in the brainstem.

As with other functions, the aging process can cause changes in swallowing, even in asymptomatic individuals. Purpose: 1. To determine whether timing measures for swallows from healthy older adults differ from comparison measures for healthy young adults. 2. To determine whether timing measures for functional swallows from older adults at risk of dysphagia differ from comparison measures for healthy older adults. 3 To determine whether differences in timing explain the occurrence of transient penetration of material into the airway (Penetration-Aspiration Scale scores of 2) in any of these groups. Method: Duplicate blinded ratings were obtained for swallows of 20%w/v thin liquid barium collected under videofluoroscopy at 30 frames/s from 17 healthy older adults, aged 60-84 (12 women). Swallows were compared to data from a retrospective dataset collected in 20 healthy young adults aged 22- 45 (10 women) and functional swallows (Penetration-Aspiration Scale scores <3) of 11 older adults at risk for dysphagia, aged 62-87 (3 women). Eight timing measures were studied, including parameters related to swallow response, bolus transit, laryngeal vestibule closure and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) function. We used linear mixed model repeated measures ANOVAs to explore the hypothesis that swallow timing measures would be longer in the older adults than in young adults, and even longer in the older adults at risk for dysphagia. Results: Consistent with the hypotheses, significantly longer swallow reaction time, UES opening (UESO) duration, the interval from laryngeal vestibule closure (LVC) to UESO (p<0.01) and the interval following UESO to maximum pharyngeal constriction (MPC) were seen in the healthy older participants compared to the young healthy controls. Furthermore, a significantly longer interval from the onset of hyoid movement to UES opening, and longer laryngeal vestibule closure reaction time (LVCRT), (p<0.01) were seen in the older participants at risk of dysphagia in comparison with healthy older adults. Also, this group presented longer intervals from LVC to UES opening and from maximum pharyngeal constriction to UES closure. For both the healthy young group and the healthy elderly group, in cases where transient penetration of material into the laryngeal vestibule was seen, laryngeal vestibule closure reaction time was longer and laryngeal vestibule closure occurred late, after UES opening. For both the healthy elderly group and elderly at risk of dysphagia, when penetration was observed, a shorter interval from hyoid onset to upper esophageal sphincter opening was seen. Also, laryngeal vestibule closure was late and there was a longer LVC to UESO interval when penetration occurred. Finally, laryngeal vestibule closure duration was shorter in case of penetration in the elderly group at risk of dysphagia Conclusions: Longer swallow timing measures, in general, distinguish swallows in healthy older adults from swallows in young healthy adults, and in older adults at risk of dysphagia from healthy older adults. In cases of transient penetration, laryngeal vestibule closure was delayed. / Introdução: Tal como acontece com outras funções, o processo de envelhecimento pode causar alterações na deglutição, mesmo em indivíduos assintomáticos. Objetivo: 1. Determinar se as medidas temporais da deglutição diferem entre idosos saudáveis e adultos jovens saudáveis. 2. Determinar se as medidas temporais de deglutições funcionais de idosos em risco de disfagia diferem das medidas de idosos saudáveis. 3. Determinar se diferenças nas medidas temporais explicam a ocorrência de penetração transitória (escore PAS igual a 2) em qualquer desses grupos. Método: Foram realizadas análises cegas duplicadas para deglutições de bário líquido diluído a 20%, coletadas em videofluoroscopia a 30 quadros/s de 17 idosos saudáveis, entre 60 e 84 anos (12 mulheres). As deglutições foram comparadas a um banco de dados coletado retrospectivamente de 20 jovens jovens saudáveis entre 22 e 45 anos (10 mulheres) e deglutições funcionais (escores da Escala Penetração-Aspiração <3) de 11 idosos com risco de disfagia, com idade entre 62-87 (3 mulheres). Foram estudadas oito medidas temporais, incluindo parâmetros relacionados à resposta à deglutição, trânsito do bolo, fechamento do vestíbulo laríngeo e função do esfíncter esofágico superior (EES). Utilizamos análise de medidas repetidas em modelos mistos lineares ANOVAs para explorar a hipótese de que as medidas temporais da deglutição seriam maiores nos idosos do que em adultos jovens e ainda maiores nos idosos em risco de disfagia. Resultados: De acordo com as hipóteses, para resposta à deglutição (SRT), duração da abertura do EES (AEES), do intervalo entre o fechamento do vestíbulo laríngeo (FVL) para AEES (p <0,01) e do intervalo entre AEES até a constrição máxima da faringe foram observadas medidas significantemente aumentadas no grupo idosos saudáveis em comparação com jovens saudáveis. Além disso, um intervalo significativamente mais longo desde o inicio do movimento do hióide até a abertura da EES e longo tempo de reação para o fechamento do vestíbulo laríngeo (p <0,01) foram observados nos participantes idosos em risco de disfagia em comparação com idosos saudáveis. Além disso, este grupo apresentou intervalos mais longos entre FVL e AEES e entre a constrição máxima da faríngea e o fechamento do EES. Tanto para o grupo jovem saudável como para o grupo idoso saudável, nos casos em que a penetração transitória do material no vestíbulo laríngeo foi observada, o tempo de reação para fechamento do vestíbulo laríngeo foi maior e o fechamento do vestíbulo laríngeo ocorreu de forma tardia, após a abertura do EES. Tanto para o grupo de idosos saudáveis quanto para os idosos em risco de disfagia, quando ocorreu penetração, observou-se um intervalo menor entre o início do movimento do hióide e a abertura do esfíncter superior do esôfago. Além disso, o FVL estava atrasado e houve um intervalo prolongado entre FVL e AEES quando ocorreu a penetração. Finalmente, a duração do fechamento do vestíbulo laríngeo foi menor em caso de penetração no grupo idoso em risco de disfagia. Conclusões: medidas de tempo de deglutição prolongada, em geral, são um fator claro que distingue as deglutições de idosos saudáveis e deglutições de jovens saudáveis, e de idosos em risco de disfagia e de idosos saudáveis. Quando uma penetração transitória foi encontrada, o mecanismo de fechamento do vestíbulo laríngeo apresentava-se atrasado.

Introdução: A desnutrição é um problema de saúde frequente, especialmente em pacientes com AVC, que atinge cerca de 16% da população podendo aumentar para 50% em até 3 meses. A Disfagia orofaríngea é considerada um distúrbio de deglutição, com sinais e sintomas específicos, que se caracteriza por alterações em qualquer etapa e/ou entre as etapas da dinâmica da deglutição, podendo ocorrer em 45 a 65% dos casos de AVC. Desnutrição e problemas de deglutição são comuns após acidente vascular encefálico e frequentemente ocorrem juntos. A falha em reconhecer a sua presença resultará em um aumento da morbidade e mortalidade. Pacientes internados em hospital como consequência de um AVC podem já estar desnutridos ou em risco de desnutrição, e muitas vezes estes se tornam mais desnutridos enquanto estão hospitalizados, mantendo este quadro meses depois. Entretanto, apesar da alta taxa de morbidade e mortalidade, estudos que investigam a evolução da desnutrição e disfagia e suas consequências clínicas após a o AVC ainda são escassos. Objetivos: Este estudo tem como objetivos identificar a frequência do estado nutricional e as dificuldades de deglutição em pacientes com AVC além de identificar os fatores preditivos para o estado nutricional e verificar se há associação entre o estado nutricional e os desfechos clínicos nesta população após três meses do ictus. Casuística e Métodos Foram avaliados 102 pacientes com AVC que deram entrada na Unidade de Emergência e que compareceram para consulta no Ambulatório de Doenças Neurovasculares (ADNV) do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMRPUSP) após três meses do ictus. Os seguintes procedimentos foram realizados com todos os pacientes selecionados para o estudo: aplicação da NIHSS para avaliação da gravidade do AVC; escala de Rankin modificada, para avaliação da capacidade funcional; aplicação do Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) que avalia sintomas de disfagia; aplicação da Mini-Avaliação Nutricional (MNA®) para avaliação do estado Nutricional e avaliação da cognição com o Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM) Resultados: De acordo com a Análise multivariada (Correlação de Pearson) entre os instrumentos de avaliação é possível determinar que o estado nutricional associou-se com a gravidade do AVC na admissão (r=-0,38; p=0,001) e ambos se correlacionaram com incapacidade funcional aos 3 meses (r=-0,5; p=0,001), (r=0,45; p=0,001). A gravidade do AVC na admissão associou-se significativamente com maior número de noites no hospital. (r=0,41 p=0,001). E que a presença de alteração cognitiva associou-se significativamente com a incapacidade funcional aos 3 meses (rankin de 3 meses) (r=-0,51; p=0,001). Na análise de regressão logística, utilizando o método Backward a gravidade do AVC na admissão hospitalar foi fator preditivo independente de desnutrição nesta população (p=0,001) Portanto, os pacientes com pior estado nutricional possuíam maior gravidade do AVC na admissão, tiveram maior tempo de internação, (noites no hospital) e possuíam pior capacidade funcional e pior cognição aos 3 meses. / Introduction: Malnutrition is a frequent health problem, especially in patients with stroke, which affects about 16% of the population and can increase to 50% within 3 months. Oropharyngeal dysphagia is considered a swallowing disorder, with specific signs and symptoms, which is characterized by changes at any stage and / or between the stages of swallowing dynamics which can occur in 45 to 65% of stroke cases. Malnutrition and swallowing problems are common after a stroke and often occur together. Failure to recognize their presence will result in increased morbidity and mortality. Patients hospitalized as a consequence of a stroke may already be malnourished or at risk of malnutrition and often become more malnourished while hospitalized, maintaining this condition months later. However, despite the high rate of morbidity and mortality studies that investigate the evolution of malnutrition and dysphagia and its clinical consequences after stroke are still scarce. Objectives: This study aims to identify the frequency of nutritional status and swallowing difficulties in stroke patients in addition to identifying the predictive factors for nutritional status and to verify if there is an association between nutritional status and clinical outcomes in this population after three months of the stroke. Casuistry and Methods: We evaluated 102 stroke patients admitted to the Emergency Unit and attending the Neurovascular Diseases Outpatient Clinic (ADNV) at the Hospital das Clínicas of the Medical School of Ribeirão Preto at the University of São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP) After three months of the stroke. The following procedures were performed with all patients selected for the study: application of the NIHSS to evaluate the severity of stroke; Modified Rankin scale for functional capacity assessment; Application of the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) evaluating symptoms of dysphagia; Application of the Nutritional Mini-Assessment (MNA®) to evaluate the nutritional status and evaluation of cognition with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: According to the Multivariate Analysis (Pearson\'s Correlation) among the evaluation instruments it was possible to determine that the nutritional status was associated with the severity of stroke on admission (r = - 0.38, p = 0.001) and both Correlated with functional disability at 3 months (r = -0.5, p = 0.001), (r = 0.45, p = 0.001). The severity of stroke on admission was significantly associated with greater number of nights in the hospital. (R = 0.41 p = 0.001). And that the presence of cognitive alteration was significantly associated with functional disability at 3 months (Rankin of 3 months) (r = -0.51; p = 0.001). In the logistic regression analysis using the Backward method the severity of stroke at hospital admission was an independent predictor of malnutrition in this population (p = 0.001). Therefore, patients with worse nutritional status had a greater severity of stroke on admission, had a longer (Nights in the hospital) and had worse functional capacity and worse cognition at 3 months.

Os mecanismos fisiológicos sofrem mudanças durante o processo de envelhecimento. Dentre as alterações que ocorrem naturalmente durante esse processo, existem os problemas de deglutição. A integridade da deglutição não só garante a manutenção do estado nutricional do paciente mas também protege o trato respiratório contra acidentes como aspiração de conteúdo da orofaringe; por outro lado, suas alterações, muitas vezes somadas a processos patológicos, levam a complicações nutricionais e infecciosas, favorecendo a ocorrência de outras doenças e podendo, até mesmo, levar a quadros irreversíveis. O presente estudo teve por objetivo avaliar a fase orofaríngea da deglutição de pacientes idosos internados na enfermaria da Divisão de Clínica Médica Geral e Geriatria do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo, com ou sem queixas de dificuldade de deglutição, através da avaliação clínica fonoaudiológica e do estudo cintilográfico da deglutição, correlacionando-os. Para tanto, foram avaliados 30 pacientes idosos internados, com idades entre 66 e 94 anos, idade média de 80 anos, selecionados aleatoriamente, sem se considerar suas doenças e a presença ou não de queixas de disfagia, sendo excluídos os pacientes gravemente comprometidos, cujo estado impossibilitava a avaliação clínica e objetiva da deglutição. Além disso, obteve-se dois grupos controle, sendo um constituído por jovens, com idades variando de 21 a 30 anos, idade média de 25 anos e o outro foi constituído por idosos, com idades variando de 60 a 80 anos, idade média de 70 anos. Os voluntários dos grupos controle foram cuidadosamente triados antes da participação no estudo para assegurar que eles não apresentassem histórias de dificuldades para a deglutição e/ou condições médicas que pudessem influenciar a deglutição ou performance motora orofacial e/ou que usassem medicamentos depressores do sistema nervoso central. Para a avaliação funcional da deglutição, os participantes do estudo deglutiram dois bolos de alimentos de 5 ml cada, nas consistências líquida e pastosa. No estudo cintilográfico foram adicionados aos dois bolos, um marcador de radioatividade de fitato coloidal ligado ao tecnécio (99mTc). Os dados da avaliação foram analisados no computador através do protocolo de aquisição da gama-câmara (vision DST) quanto ao trânsito e resíduo oral, trânsito, clearance e resíduo faríngeo e entrada no esôfago proximal. O estudo permitiu concluir que idosos doentes sem queixa de dificuldade de deglutição e sem a presença de doenças que cursam com a disfagia, não apresentam diferença significativa dos parâmetros observados quando comparados com idosos saudáveis; pessoas idosas deglutem mais lentamente quando comparadas com pessoas mais jovens, entretanto essa lentificação permite que idosos deglutam mais seguramente. As mudanças no hábito alimentar de idosos devem ser questionadas por profissionais que trabalham com a população geriátrica e a avaliação fonoaudiológica clínica da deglutição deve fazer parte da definição do diagnóstico diferencial em quadros que sugiram dificuldades de deglutição e, principalmente deve ser imprescindível naqueles que apresentem patologias que cursam com a disfagia; a técnica cintilográfica é sensível a sutis mudanças relacionadas ao trânsito, clearance e resíduo alimentar. / Physiological mechanisms change during the aging process. Among the changes that occur naturally during this process, there are the problems of swallowing. Swallowing integrity not only warrants the maintenance of the patient’s nutritional status, but also protects the respiratory system against accidents like the aspiration of oropharyngeal contents. On the other hand, changes in the swallowing process, often added by other diseases, induces nutritional and infectious complications, favoring the occurrence of other diseases and, even, irreversible clinical pictures. The present study aimed to assess the oropharyngeal phase of swallowing of older persons admitted to the wards of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine of the Internal Medicine Department of the School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto – University of São Paulo, independently of the presence or absence of swallowing complaints, through phonoaudiological clinical evaluation and cintilographic study of swallowing. Thirty elderly patients were studied, with age ranging from 66 to 94 years old, mean age 80 years, randomly selected, without being taken into consideration specific diseases and the presence or absence of swallowing complaints. Severely compromised Patients, whose health status made impossible adequate evaluation, were excluded. Two control groups were composed, one of young volunteers, aged from 21 to 30 years, mean age 25 years and one of elderly volunteers, with age ranging from 60 to 80 years old, mean age 70 years. Volunteers of the control groups were carefully evaluated before participation, to make sure that they did not have swallowing difficulties and/or clinical conditions that could influence swallowing and oral and facial motor performance and did not take medications with central nervous system actions. For functional assessment of swallowing, the study participants swallowed two boluses of 5 ml each, in liquid and syrup consistence. In the cintilographic study, a radioactive tracer (99mTc colloidal phytate) was added to the boluses. Data were analyzed through the gamma-camera acquisition protocol (vision DST) for oral transit and residual, pharyngeal transit, clearance time and residual and time for proximal esophagus entrance. The study allowed us to conclude that older patients without swallowing complaints and without diseases that cause dysphagia, do not show significant differences of the observed parameters when compared to healthy older persons. Older persons swallow slower when compared to younger persons, however this delay allows them to swallow safer. Changes in dietary habits of older persons should be questioned by professionals that work with geriatric populations and clinical phonoaudiological assessment of swallowing must be part of the assessment process of situations where difficulties for swallowing appeared, being absolutely necessary for those that present diseases that courses with dysphagia. The cintilographic technique is sensitive to subtle changes in transit, clearance and food residuals.

INTRODUÇÃO: A deglutição é um processo complexo que requer a coordenação precisa de mais de 25 músculos, seis pares de nervos cranianos e os lobos frontais. O comprometimento neste processo, denominado de disfagia, pode aumentar a taxa de morbidade dos pacientes e também o risco para a aspiração, retardando a administração de uma nutrição adequada por via oral. A intubação orotraqueal prolongada, definida na literatura como período superior a 48 horas de intubação, poderá causar alterações na deglutição e ocasionar a disfagia após a extubação. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar as variáveis independentes da avaliação fonoaudiológica da deglutição que são preditoras do risco de disfagia após intubação orotraqueal prolongada nas Unidades de Terapia Intensiva. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo transversal observacional. Participaram deste estudo 148 pacientes submetidos à avaliação em beira de leito da deglutição, no período entre setembro de 2009 e setembro de 2011. Todos os pacientes apresentavam histórico de intubação orotraqueal prolongada e foram admitidos em uma das Unidades de Terapia Intensiva de um grande hospital escola brasileiro. Os critérios de inclusão adotados foram: estabilidade clínica e respiratória; pontuação na Escala de Coma Glasgow acima de 14 pontos; idade acima de 18 anos; ausência de traqueostomia; ausência de doenças neurológicas; ausência de disfagia esofágica; ausência de procedimentos cirúrgicos envolvendo a área de cabeça e pescoço. Além disso, os pacientes deveriam ser submetidos à avaliação em beira de leito da deglutição no prazo de 48 horas após a extubação. A análise estatística incluiu a correlação entre os resultados obtidos no teste de deglutição de água e a pontuação do nível da deglutição. RESULTADOS: Os resultados indicaram que a presença de tosse e alteração da ausculta cervical durante a deglutição de água são variáveis preditoras independentes do risco de disfagia para o grupo testado. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo apontou as variáveis preditoras do risco de disfagia em pacientes submetidos à intubação orotraqueal prolongada. / INTRODUCTION: Swallowing is a complex process, that require the precise timing and coordination of more than 25 muscles, six cranial nerves and frontal lobes. Compromise of this process, or dysphagia, can result in profund morbidity, increasing the changes of aspiration and delaying the admistration of proper oral nutrition. It is know that an orotracheal tube might disturb these intricately choreographed events and cause post-extubation dysphagia. Prolonged intubation, typically defined as longer than 48 hours in the literature, is thought to contribute to swallowing dysfunction. The objective of this study is to elucidated independent factors that predict the risk of dysphagia after prolonged orotraqueal intubation in Intensive Care Units patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study design was used. Participants were 148 consecutive patients who underwent clinical bedside swallowing assessment, from September 2009 to September 2011. All patients presented a history of prolonged orotraqueal intubation and were admitted in one of the several Intensive Care Units of a large Brazilian school hospital. The adopted inclusion criteria were: to present clinical and respiratory stability, to present more than 14 points on the Glasgow Coma Scale; age above 18 years; absence of tracheostomy; absence of neurologic diseases, absence of esophageal dysphagia; absence of surgical procedures involving the head and neck. Also, to be included in the study, patients had to undergo a clinical swallowing assessment within 48 hours after extubation. The statistical analysis included the correlation of the results obtained on a water swallow test and the risk level for dysphagia. RESULTS: Results indicated that altered cervical auscultation and presence of cough during water swallow tests increase the likelihood of dysphagia in patients who underwent prolonged orotracheal intubation. CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate factors that predict the risk of dysphagia after prolonged orotraqueal intubation.

The purpose of this study was to explore the nature of reduced patient awareness of oropharyngeal dysphagia. While patient awareness of dysphagia has been explored in individuals before participating in formal swallowing assessments, no studies have been identified in the literature that have explored awareness after patients have participated in an examination and received information about their dysphagia. In addition, the relationship between patient compliance and reduced awareness, as well as the application of stages of change in this population were explored. Twenty-one inpatients and outpatients, newly diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia, participated in this study. A retrospective analysis found that 40% of participants demonstrated reduced awareness of their dysphagia before participating in a videofluoroscopic swallowing examination. Reduced pre-examination awareness of dysphagia occurred most frequently in those with general medical diagnoses versus neurological or structural diagnoses. Reduced pre-examination awareness was not significantly associated with a reduced cough response following aspiration. Exploration of post-examination patient awareness of dysphagia, the primary intent of this study, revealed that 19% of patients demonstrated reduced awareness of their dysphagia, even after receiving specific verbal and visual information regarding their diagnosis. Reduced post-examination awareness of dysphagia occurred equally in those with structural and neurological diagnoses and was not noted in those with general medical diagnoses. Reduced post-examination awareness was not significantly associated with a reduced cough response following aspiration. Consistent with the literature on reduced patient awareness of deficit, patient awareness of dysphagia was modality specific. That is, some patients with reduced awareness of dysphagia demonstrated awareness of other deficits and vice versa. Overall, participants demonstrated more awareness of concomitant speech impairments than dysphagia and less awareness of concomitant cognitive impairments than dysphagia. No significant relationship between general cognitive impairment and reduced patient awareness of dysphagia was found. Exploration of diet compliance in inpatient participants revealed no instances of noncompliance, while hospitalized, from the day of the swallowing examination until the day of participation in the study. However, only 67% of these patients requested permissible foods or drinks when compliance was sampled during the study protocol, suggesting that inpatients with newly diagnosed dysphagia may be less compliant if restricted items become accessible. No significant relationship between patient awareness of dysphagia and diet compliance, as sampled during the study protocol, was found in both inpatients and outpatients. The relationships between patient awareness of dysphagia and patient compliance for both swallowing strategies and exercise regimens were also not significant, though these analyses were limited by the small number of participants who had been prescribed strategies and independent exercise programs at the time of their study participation. Lastly, analysis of the relationship between patient compliance and action or post-action stages of change, revealed no significant association between these variables.

Silent aspiration is associated with pneumonia and mortality, and is poorly identified by traditional clinical swallowing evaluation (CSE). Currently, there is no reliable test for detecting silent aspiration during CSE. There is, however, increasing evidence for the validity of cough reflex testing (CRT) for identifying silent aspiration. This test has the potential to significantly improve clinical assessment of dysphagia. The aim of this research programme was to further investigate the validity, reliability and clinical utility of CRT for identifying patients at risk of silently aspirating. Several aspects of CRT were explored during this research programme. Two correlational studies were conducted to validate CRT for identifying silent aspiration against videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). Cough reflex threshold testing was completed on 181 patients using inhaled, nebulised citric acid. Within one hour, 80 patients underwent VFSS and 101 patients underwent FEES. All tests were recorded and analysed by two researchers blind to the result of the alternate test. Significant associations between CRT result and cough response to aspiration on VFSS (p = .003) and FEES (p < .001) were identified. Sensitivity and specificity were optimised at 0.6mol/L in patients undergoing VFSS (71%, 60% respectively) and at 0.4mol/L in patients undergoing FEES (69%, 71% respectively). A concentration of 0.8mol/L had the highest odds ratio (OR) for detecting silent aspiration (8 based on VFSS, 7 based on FEES). Coughing on lower concentrations of citric acid (0.4mol/L compared with 1.2mol/L) was a better predictive measure of silent aspiration. Diminished cough strength has also been associated with aspiration and increased risk of pneumonia. Reflexive cough is our primary defensive mechanism against aspiration and a measure of reflexive cough strength therefore holds greater relevance than one of voluntary cough strength. Despite common use and clinical applicability, the reliability of subjective cough judgements has received little attention. The inter- and intra-rater reliability of subjective judgements of cough in patients following inhalation of citric acid was assessed. Forty-five speech-language therapists (SLTs) were recruited to the first study. Of these, 11 SLTs were currently using CRT in their clinical practice (experienced raters) and 34 SLTs reported no experience with CRT (inexperienced raters). Participants provided a rating of strong, weak or absent to ten video segments of cough responses elicited by inhalation of nebulised citric acid. The same video segments presented in a different sequence were re- evaluated by the same clinicians following a 15-minute break. Inter-rater reliability for experienced raters was calculated with a Fleiss’ generalised kappa of .49; intra-rater reliability was higher with a kappa of .70. Inexperienced raters showed similar reliability with kappa values for inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of .36 and .62, respectively. SLTs demonstrated only fair to moderate reliability in subjectively judging a patient’s cough response to citric acid. Experience in making cough judgements did not improve reliability significantly. In a second study, specific training in cough physiology and cough judgement was provided to 58 trained SLTs. Inter-rater reliability of subjective judgements of cough in patients following inhalation of citric acid was assessed. Participants provided a rating of present or absent, and if present then a rating of strong or weak, to ten video segments of cough responses. Inter-rater reliability for cough presence was calculated with a Fleiss’ generalised kappa of .71 and cough strength was calculated at .61. Years of clinical experience did not improve inter-rater reliability significantly. Experience in using CRT did improve inter-rater reliability. Further validity and reliability research would be beneficial for guiding clinical guidelines and training programmes. By identifying patients at risk of silent aspiration, more informed management decisions can be made that consequently lead to a reduction in preventable secondary complications such as pneumonia. The clinical utility of CRT for reducing pneumonia in acute stroke patients was assessed through a randomised, controlled trial. Three hundred and eleven patients referred for swallowing evaluation were assigned to either 1) a control group receiving standard evaluation or 2) an experimental group receiving standard evaluation with CRT. Participants in the experimental group were administered nebulised citric acid with test results contributing to clinical decisions. Outcomes for both groups were measured by pneumonia rates at three months post stroke and other clinical indices of swallowing management. Analysis of the data identified no significant differences between groups in pneumonia rate (p = .38) or mortality (p = .15). Results of CRT were shown to influence diet recommendations (p < .0001) and referrals for instrumental assessment (p <.0001). Despite differences in clinical management between groups, the end goal of reducing pneumonia in post stroke dysphagia was not achieved. Through this research, the characteristics and outcomes associated with dysphagia secondary to stroke in New Zealand were identified. Baseline characteristics of 311 patients with dysphagia following acute stroke were collected during their hospital stay and outcomes were measured at three months post stroke. Mortality rates were 16% and pneumonia rates 27%. Mean length of stay was 24 days and only 45% of patients were in their own home at three months post stroke. Pneumonia was significantly associated with mortality and increased length of stay. Only 13% of patients received referral for instrumental assessment of swallowing. These data are discussed in reference to the National Acute Stroke Services Audit 2009 and internationally published data. The outcomes for stroke patients with dysphagia in New Zealand are poor with a high risk of pneumonia and long hospital stays when compared internationally. In summary, this research programme has contributed to our understanding of the use of CRT in patients with dysphagia. The addition of a measure of reflexive cough strength may add to clinical assessment but specific training is required to reach adequate reliability. CRT results are significantly associated with aspiration response on instrumental assessment and lower concentrations of citric acid provide a better predictive measure of silent aspiration. CRT can be standardised and therefore is not as susceptible to interpretative variance that plagues much of CSE. Sensitivity and specificity values using this CRT methodology are adequate for CRT to be incorporated into clinical protocols. Inclusion of CRT alone was not shown to be sufficient to change clinical outcomes however integration of CRT into clinical pathways may prove more successful. Further research evaluating the addition of CRT to a comprehensive CSE would add greatly to the field of dysphagia assessment.

No description available.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) accounts for 3-5% of all malignancies in the United States and is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. Over the past two decades, radiation therapy (RT) has become a frequent therapeutic strategy, however one of its side effects, dysphagia has had a huge impact on patients’ quality of life. The value of determining the true prevalence of dysphagia is remarkable, which is what prompted us to carry out a study to determine the prevalence, trends, and risk factors for dysphagia following completion of RT over one year in patients diagnosed with HNC at Boston Medical Center over a 7-year period. A retrospective cohort study was conducted that involved a chart review of the medical records of all patients who completed RT for HNC cancer from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2009 at Boston University Medical Center. 113 eligible patients were who had comprehensive treatment and follow up data at 3, 6, 9 or 12 months post RT were analyzed. Outcome variables of interest included feeding tube status, diet status, subjective swallow status, and percent weight loss from end of RT. 113 patients were identified for this study, of which 31% (n=35) were female and 69% (n=78) were male. Average age was 58.6 years old (35 to 88). The most common cancer sites were oropharynx and nasopharynx (38.9%) as well as hypopharynx and larynx (31%). 71.7% of the cohort had chemotherapy (CT) in addition to RT, and about half the patients had some degree of surgery. Altogether, the most “clinically meaningful” indicator of dysphagia (diet level of moderate/severe diet restriction) showed that the prevalence or probability of dysphagia to be 49% at 3 months, 56% at 6 months, 45% at 9 months, and 31% at 12 months. Our results suggest that about half the patients who undergo RT may be expected to develop a significant swallowing dysfunction in the first year following RT. This is extremely useful data for a health care provider to present to a patient after diagnosis of HNC and should complement counseling provided to them at the time of creating a treatment plan. Interestingly most of the patients who developed moderate/severe dysphagia did so within the first 6 months of completion of RT. Only oral cavity as cancer site was associated with moderate/severe dysphagia in our cohort of patients.