AUTHOR=Cui Qingjia , Wei Bing , He Yuan , Zhang Qian , Jia Weiwei , Wang Haiying , Xi Jianing , Dai Xin 

TITLE=Findings of a videofluoroscopic swallowing study in patients with dysphagia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2023.1213491

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2023.1213491

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Objective</title><p>Swallowing examination is crucial in patients with dysphagia. We aimed to compare qualitative and quantitative videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) results to provide reference for standardizing quantitative parameters.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Materials and methods</title><p>In total, 117 patients with dysphagia were included, 38 with Parkinson’s disease and 39 and 40 in convalescence following cerebral hemorrhage and infarction. VFSS was both qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>A significant difference of Oral transit time was found between the oral motor function grades (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), also was swallowing reaction times found between swallowing reaction duration grades (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and soft palate lift duration between the soft palate lift grades (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). Superior hyoid bone movement (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), anterior hyoid bone movement (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), hyoid pause time (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001), and hyoid movement duration (<italic>p</italic> = 0.032) had significant differences between the hyoid laryngeal complex movement grades, as did the pharyngeal cavity transit time among the cricopharyngeal muscle opening duration grades (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). The laryngeal vestibule closure duration differed among the glottic closure grades (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.001). No statistically significant difference in upper esophageal sphincter opening diameter (<italic>p</italic> = 0.682) or duration (<italic>p</italic> = 0.682) among the cyclopharyngeal muscle opening duration grades. The pharyngeal area at rest did not significantly differ among the different vallecular residue (<italic>p</italic> = 0.202) and pyriform sinus residue (<italic>p</italic> = 0.116) grades.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>Several quantitative parameters can reflect the swallowing assessment process well. Further optimization of quantitative parameters is recommended.</p></sec>