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Objective Measures of Swallowing Function Applied to the Dysphagia Population: A One Year Experience

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Abstract

Quantitative, reliable measures of swallowing physiology can be made from an modified barium swallowing study. These quantitative measures have not been previously employed to study large dysphagic patient populations. The present retrospective study of 139 consecutive patients with dysphagia seen in a university tertiary voice and swallowing clinic sought to use objective measures of swallowing physiology to (1) quantify the most prevalent deficits seen in the patient population, (2) identify commonly associated diagnoses and describe the most prevalent swallowing deficits, and (3) determine any correlation between objective deficits and Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) scores and body mass index. Poor pharyngeal constriction (34.5 %) and airway protection deficits (65.5 %) were the most common swallowing abnormalities. Reflux-related dysphagia (36 %), nonspecific pharyngeal dysphagia (24 %), Parkinson disease (16 %), esophageal abnormality (13 %), and brain insult (10 %) were the most common diagnoses. Poor pharyngeal constriction was significantly associated with an esophageal motility abnormality (p < 0.001) and central neurologic insult. In general, dysphagia symptoms as determined by the EAT-10 did not correlate with swallowing function abnormalities. This preliminary study indicates that reflux disease is common in patients with dysphagia and that associated esophageal abnormalities are common in dysphagic populations and may be associated with specific pharyngeal swallowing abnormalities. However, symptom scores from the EAT-10 did not correspond to swallowing pathophysiology.

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Acknowledgments

This investigation was supported by the University of Utah Study Design and Biostatistics Center, with funding in part from the Public Health Services research Grant Nos. UL1-RR025764 and C06-RR11234 from the National Center for Research Resources.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Voice Disorders Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Katherine A. Kendall, Julia Ellerston, Amanda Heller & Daniel R. Houtz

  2. Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Amanda Heller

  3. Study Design and Biostatistics Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Chong Zhang & Angela P. Presson

  4. Division of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University of Utah, 50 Medical Drive, SOM Room 3C120, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA

    Katherine A. Kendall

  5. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Chong Zhang & Angela P. Presson

Authors
  1. Katherine A. Kendall
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  2. Julia Ellerston
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  3. Amanda Heller
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  4. Daniel R. Houtz
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  5. Chong Zhang
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  6. Angela P. Presson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katherine A. Kendall.

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None of the authors of this study have any conflict of interest that would introduce bias into the manuscript.

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Kendall, K.A., Ellerston, J., Heller, A. et al. Objective Measures of Swallowing Function Applied to the Dysphagia Population: A One Year Experience. Dysphagia 31, 538–546 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-016-9711-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-016-9711-0

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