Effect of Thickened Fluids on Swallowing Function in Oropharyngeal Dysphagia: Impact of Shear Rheology and Disorder Subtype.

Introduction: Fluid thickeners used in the management of oropharyngeal dysphagia exhibit non-Newtonian shear-thinning rheology, impacting their viscosity during deglutition. This study investigated how the rheological properties of thickened fluids affect pharyngeal swallowing parameters in patients with oropharyngeal motor disorders diagnosed by pharyngeal high-resolution manometry impedance (P-HRM-I).

Methods: Seventy-two patients (18-89 years) referred for P-HRM-I were diagnostically assessed with a 10 mL thin bolus.

Age-related impairment of esophagogastric junction relaxation and bolus flow time.

Aim: To investigate the functional effects of abnormal esophagogastric (EGJ) measurements in asymptomatic healthy volunteers over eighty years of age.

Methods: Data from 30 young controls (11 M, mean age 37 ± 11 years) and 15 aged subjects (9 M, 85 ± 4 years) were compared for novel metrics of EGJ-function: EGJ-contractile integral (EGJ-CI), "total" EGJ-CI and bolus flow time (BFT). Data were acquired using a 3.

Impaired bolus clearance in asymptomatic older adults during high-resolution impedance manometry.

Background: Dysphagia becomes more common in old age. We performed high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) in asymptomatic healthy adults (including an older cohort >80 years) to assess HRIM findings in relation to bolus clearance.

Methods: Esophageal HRIM was performed in a sitting posture in 45 healthy volunteers (n = 30 young control, mean age 37 ± 11 years and n = 15 older subjects aged 85 ± 4 years) using a 3.

Maximum upper esophageal sphincter (UES) admittance: a non-specific marker of UES dysfunction.

Background: Assessment of upper esophageal sphincter (UES) motility is challenging, as functionally, UES relaxation and opening are distinct. We studied novel parameters, UES admittance (inverse of nadir impedance), and 0.2-s integrated relaxation pressure (IRP), in patients with cricopharyngeal bar (CPB) and motor neuron disease (MND), as predictors of UES dysfunction.

Changes in esophageal and lower esophageal sphincter motility with healthy aging.

Background And Aims: Swallowing difficulties become increasingly prevalent in older age. Differences exist in lower esophageal sphincter (LES) function between older and younger patients with dysphagia, but the contribution of aging per se to these is unclear.

Methods: Esophageal motor function was measured using high resolution manometry in older (aged 81+/-1.