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Esophageal Involvement in Multiple System Atrophy

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Abstract

The prevalence of esophageal involvement and its impact on clinical manifestations in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) remains unknown. We recruited 16 consecutive patients with dysphagia associated with MSA (MSA group) and 16 consecutive patients with dysphagia associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS group). We assessed the presence or absence of food stagnation within the esophagus using videofluorography. Food stagnation within the esophagus was observed in 16 patients (100 %; 7 severe, 9 mild) in the MSA group and in 4 patients (25 %; 4 mild) in the ALS group (P < 0.001). Follow-up videofluorography revealed that food stagnation in patients with MSA could exacerbate during the disease course. Patients with MSA and severe food stagnation showed a wide range of intraesophageal stasis by videofluorography. Among the 16 patients in the MSA group, 4 developed aspiration pneumonia and 1 died of suffocation associated with food regurgitation during continuous positive airway pressure therapy. In conclusion, food stagnation within the esophagus occurs more frequently in MSA patients with dysphagia than in ALS patients with dysphagia. Because food stagnation can cause serious complications such as aspiration pneumonia and suffocation, patients with MSA should be evaluated by videofluorography, especially those with stagnation in the esophageal phase.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by a Grant from the Japan Foundation for Neuroscience and Mental Health.

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Correspondence to Takayoshi Shimohata MD, PhD.

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455_2015_9641_MOESM1_ESM.docx

Supplemental Table 1. Clinical and videofluorographic findings in the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis group. M, male; F, female; NPPV, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation; L, Lower esophagus. Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 13 kb)

Supplemental Table 2. Dysphagia outcome and severity scale (DOSS). Supplementary material 2 (DOCX 11 kb)

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Taniguchi, H., Nakayama, H., Hori, K. et al. Esophageal Involvement in Multiple System Atrophy. Dysphagia 30, 669–673 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-015-9641-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-015-9641-2

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