Effects of Expiratory Muscle Strength Training on Oropharyngeal Swallow Physiology in Persons with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): A Preliminary Study.

Despite the high estimated prevalence of dysphagia in OSA, there is a paucity of evidence supporting behavioral interventions for treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) on validated, standardized metrics of swallow and airway clearance capacity functions in moderate-to-severe OSA. 10 participants with OSA (mean age = 65.

Normal Variations in Upper Esophageal Sphincter Function During Deglutition: A Secondary Analysis of Videofluoroscopic Data.

Objective: Cricopharyngeal dysfunction is a common potential cause of pharyngoesophageal dysphagia. Contextual factors (i.e.

Quantifying Oropharyngeal Swallowing Impairment in Response to Bolus Viscosity.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility for quantifying changes in oropharyngeal swallowing impairment in response to alteration in bolus viscosity using a reliable and valid method of observational measurement-the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP).

Method: This retrospective analysis included a heterogeneous cohort of 119 patients with suspected dysphagia that underwent a videofluoroscopic swallowing study as part of clinical care. Using consensus scoring, two expert clinicians assigned MBSImP scores to components related to oropharyngeal swallowing function between two bolus viscosities (thin liquid and pudding): epiglottic movement, laryngeal elevation, anterior hyoid excursion, tongue base retraction, pharyngeal stripping wave, and pharyngoesophageal segment opening (PESO).

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Purpose: Our study aims were (a) to examine laryngeal vestibular closure (LVC) temporal measures in healthy adults across tasks used in the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) protocol to establish normative reference values and (b) to examine influences of age, gender, and swallow task on LVC temporal measures.

Method: A retrospective analysis of 195 healthy adults (85 men, 110 women; age range: 21-89 years) who participated in a videofluoroscopic swallowing study was completed. Seven swallow tasks of standardized viscosities and volumes, as per the MBSImP protocol, were analyzed to measure time-to-LVC and LVC duration (LVCd).

Update on the evaluation and management of dysphagia in sporadic inclusion body myositis.

Purpose Of Review: Dysphagia is a common symptom of sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM), affecting disease trajectory and patient quality-of-life. Despite this, it is considerably understudied. The purpose of this review is to summarize current evidence related to the evaluation and management of dysphagia in IBM.

Diagnosing and managing dysphagia in inclusion body myositis: a systematic review.

Objectives: Dysphagia is a common debilitating clinical feature of IBM. However, the impact of dysphagia in IBM has been historically overlooked. This study aimed to identify, evaluate and summarize the evidence regarding the assessment and management of dysphagia in persons with IBM undergoing treatment.

Defining Normal Sequential Swallowing Biomechanics.

Little is known about the physiology of a common fluid ingestion pattern-sequential swallowing. This study investigated sequential swallowing biomechanics in healthy adults. Archival normative videofluoroscopic swallow studies were analyzed for hyolaryngeal complex (HLC) patterning and biomechanical measures from the first 2 swallows of a 90-mL thin liquid sequential swallow task.

A meta-analysis of post-exercise outcomes in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: To systematically evaluate post-exercise outcomes related to function and quality of life in people with ALS.

Methods: PRISMA guidelines were used for identifying and extracting articles. Levels of evidence and quality of articles were judged based on and the Outcomes were analyzed with Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V2 software, random effects models, and Hedge's G.

The Impact of Cervical Spinal Disease on Pharyngeal Swallowing Function.

Purpose: Spinal pathology is very common with advancing age and can cause dysphagia; however, it is unclear how frequently these pathologies affect swallowing function. This study evaluates how cervical spinal pathology may impact swallowing function in dysphagic individuals observed during videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSSs).

Method: A retrospective case-control study was performed on 100 individuals with dysphagia as well as age-/gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) with available VFSS.

Quantifying Pharyngeal Residue Across the Adult Life Span: Normative Values by Age, Gender, and Swallow Task.

Purpose: We quantified pharyngeal residue using pixel-based methods in a normative data set, while examining influences of age, gender, and swallow task.

Method: One hundred ninety-five healthy participants underwent a videofluoroscopic swallow study following the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) protocol. ImageJ was used to compute Normalized Residue Ratio Scale and the Analysis of Swallowing Physiology: Events, Kinematics and Timing (ASPEKT) pharyngeal residue measures.

Electrophysiological Measures of Swallowing Functions: A Systematic Review.

The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the application of event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate neural processes of swallowing functions in adults with and without dysphagia. Computerized literature searches were performed from three search engines. Studies were screened using Covidence (Cochrane tool) and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement standards (PRISMA-2009).

How to Interpret and Evaluate a Meta-Analysis in the Field of Speech-Language Pathology: A Tutorial for Clinicians.

Purpose: This tutorial will provide speech-language pathologists with practical considerations and pragmatic tools for interpreting and critically evaluating a meta-analysis. Meta-analysis, which is a statistical procedure that involves combining research data across multiple high-quality research studies, is often considered the highest level of research evidence. Although meta-analyses are commonly deployed in clinical research after completing a systematic review, few clinicians or clinician scientists within the field of speech-language pathology receive formal training to conduct, interpret, or assess meta-analyses to determine the effectiveness of a treatment or procedure for evidence-based practice.

Factors Influencing Oral Bolus Hold Type: Tipper or Dipper.

Purpose: This retrospective study investigated the impact of age, sex, and swallow task on bolus hold location during cued liquid swallows in healthy, community-dwelling adults. Furthermore, we investigated the association between bolus hold location and Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) Components 2 (bolus hold) and 4 (lingual transport) scores.

Method: Cued swallows of standardized barium liquids (thin, nectar-thickened, honey-thickened) observed during videofluoroscopy in 195 participants were judged as either tipper or dipper bolus hold type.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns of obstructive sleep apnea among speech-language pathologists.

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep-related breathing disorder characterised by repeated narrowing and closure of the upper airway during sleep. Despite growing evidence that dysphagia is a frequent sequela of OSA, the role of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in managing OSA remains unclear. The aim of this international study was to evaluate SLPs knowledge, attitudes, and experience of OSA.

Critically Appraising Systematic Reviews in the Field of Speech-Language Pathology: A How-to Guide for Clinician Readers.

Purpose This tutorial will provide speech-language pathologists with foundational knowledge about systematic reviews and their importance in everyday practice. It will also assist clinicians in developing critical appraisal skills so that current research can be translated judiciously to clinical environments for patient care. Systematic reviews are often regarded as the highest level of research evidence for implementing best evidence-based practice, because they synthesize research findings from multiple high-quality research studies, identify methodological weaknesses and biases from the studies included, and assist in illuminating areas for future research work based on current gaps in the literature.

Comparison of Patient-Reported and Caregiver-Reported Swallowing-Related Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease.

This pilot study explored agreement on swallowing-related quality-of-life scores reported by individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their caregivers. Thirty-six patient-caregiver pairs completed the Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) using an online survey format. Additional background and clinical information was ascertained.

Factors Influencing Presence or Absence of Laterality During Pharyngeal Bolus Clearance.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing pharyngeal laterality of bolus clearance through the pharyngoesophageal segment.

Method: Two swallowing trials (5-ml nectar-thickened liquid and 5-ml pudding) administered in the anteroposterior viewing plane during videofluoroscopy were extracted from a normative database of 195 healthy adult participants. Each swallow was determined as either having no laterality, right dominance/right side only, or left dominance/left side only.

Characterization of dysphagia following anterior cervical spine surgery.

Background: Post-operative dysphagia is one of the most common complications of anterior cervical spine surgery (ACSS).

Objective: Examine post-operative structural and physiologic swallowing changes in patients with dysphagia following ACSS as compared with healthy age and gender matched controls.

Methods: Videofluoroscopic swallow studies of adults with dysphagia after ACSS were retrospectively reviewed.

Dysphagia Care Across the Continuum: A Multidisciplinary Dysphagia Research Society Taskforce Report of Service-Delivery During the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.

At the time of writing this paper, there are over 11 million reported cases of COVID-19 worldwide. Health professionals involved in dysphagia care are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in their day-to-day practices. Otolaryngologists, gastroenterologists, rehabilitation specialists, and speech-language pathologists are subject to virus exposure due to their proximity to the aerodigestive tract and reliance on aerosol-generating procedures in swallow assessments and interventions.

Classification of Physiologic Swallowing Impairment Severity: A Latent Class Analysis of Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile Scores.

Purpose Our objectives were to (a) identify oral and pharyngeal physiologic swallowing impairment severity classes based on latent class analyses (LCAs) of the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) swallow task scores and (b) quantify the probability of severity class membership given composite MBSImP oral total (OT) and pharyngeal total (PT) scores. Method MBSImP scores were collected from a patient database of 319 consecutive modified barium swallow studies. Because of missing swallow task scores, LCA was performed using 25 multiply imputed data sets.