Esophageal Dysfunction in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-related Myositis: A Case Report.

A 69-year-old woman with left-sided breast cancer developed elevated creatine kinase levels and muscle weakness in her extremities after treatment with pembrolizumab. The patient was diagnosed with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-related myositis. Although the patient had no symptoms of dysphagia, we evaluated her swallowing function because esophageal dysfunction is a known complication of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.

Efficacy of the Bridge Dry Swallowing Exercise for Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition characterized by reflux of gastric contents, leading to damage to the esophageal mucosa and/or unpleasant symptoms, with a global prevalence of 13%. Although acid-suppressive medications are currently the most effective treatments for GERD, they may be ineffective against its symptoms. We therefore investigated the efficacy of a physical exercise program for the treatment of intractable GERD symptoms.

Applying a Motivational Instructional Design Model to Stroke Rehabilitation: A Feasibility Study on Occupational and Swallowing Therapies.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of poststroke interventions using a motivational instructional design model with occupational therapy (OT) and swallowing therapy (ST) and the model's potential physical and mental health effects.

Design: An open-label, single-arm, feasibility study on the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction model.

Setting: Two convalescent rehabilitation wards.

A Case of Impaired Upper Esophageal Sphincter Opening Due to Sarcopenic Dysphagia Successfully Treated With Balloon Dilatation.

A case of an 84-year-old man diagnosed with "probable sarcopenic dysphagia" using the sarcopenic dysphagia diagnostic algorithm is presented. The patient demonstrated improved upper esophageal sphincter (UES) passage by the immediate effect of balloon dilatation. He had suffered a myocardial infarction and was unable to eat orally for approximately a month, presenting with sarcopenia and severe dysphagia, as indicated by the Food Intake LEVEL Scale (FILS) score of 1.

Impact of Hospital Dentistry on Patients' Food Intake Status in Convalescent Rehabilitation Ward.

Background: Treating oral problems with dentist intervention during hospitalisation may improve patients' food intake status.

Objectives: This study aimed to clarify whether convalescent rehabilitation ward inpatients in a hospital with hospital dentistry (HHD) had a better diet at discharge than those in a hospital without hospital dentistry (HNHD).

Methods: Retrospective observational study including inpatients with dental involvement in a HHD with dentists and dental hygienists and HNHD with dental hygienist and visiting dental service between 1 March and 31 August 2022.

Efficacy and Safety of "Vacuum Swallowing" Based on a Strong Negative Esophageal Pressure in Healthy Individuals.

Vacuum swallowing is a unique method for improving the pharyngeal passage of a bolus by creating subatmospheric negative pressure in the esophagus. However, whether healthy individuals and other patients with dysphagia can reproduce vacuum swallowing remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether healthy individuals verified using high-resolution manometry (HRM) could reproduce vacuum swallowing and evaluate its safety using a swallowing and breathing monitoring system (SBMS).

Long-term rehabilitation with interferential current stimulation for persistent dysphagia in anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis: A case report.

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder characterized by various neurological symptoms with a relatively favorable prognosis. We present a case of prolonged dysphagia successfully managed with outpatient rehabilitation, including interferential current stimulation and resistance exercises. Significant improvement was observed, highlighting the efficacy of combined treatment in overcoming chronic dysphagia.

Effects of sarcopenia on changes in prevalence of patients with depressive mood during hospitalization in geriatric rehabilitation.

Background: The effect of sarcopenia on depressive mood during geriatric rehabilitation remains unclear. This study investigated the potential influence of sarcopenia on depressive mood among geriatric patients in a rehabilitation setting.

Methods: This observational cohort study enrolled 204 patients aged ≥65 years (mean: 78.

Mechanism of the Immediate Effect of Balloon Dilation Therapy in Spinal Muscular Atrophy With Dysphagia: A High-Resolution Manometric Study.

Balloon dilation therapy (BDT) is used to treat pharyngeal dysphagia in patients with impaired upper esophageal sphincter (UES) relaxation due to cricopharyngeal dysfunction. However, the mechanism underlying this immediate effect remains unclear. Here, we present a case in which we investigated the immediate effects of BDT on UES dysfunction using high-resolution manometry (HRM).

Weight and Muscle Mass Loss Associated with Acute Disease Can be Reversed with Appropriate Nutrition Therapy and Exercise in a Patient with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosisa: A Case Report.

Introduction Nutritional interventions targeting weight loss are useful for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, the changes in body composition after nutritional intervention remain unclear. We herein present a patient with ALS who experienced an increased weight and muscle mass owing to nutritional therapy and physical exercise.

Use of Pinching Nose Maneuver in a Patient With Severe Dysphagia Caused by Pseudobulbar Palsy.

Swallowing disorders resulting from pseudobulbar palsy are characterized by deficiencies in the oral preparatory and oral stages of the swallowing process. In certain cases, obstruction can occur when the tongue base comes into contact with the palate, impeding the intraoral bolus flow into the pharyngeal cavity. In this report, we discuss a case of severe pseudobulbar palsy, in which an intraoral bolus flowed into the pharyngeal cavity with pinching the nose.

Sliced Jelly Whole Swallowing Reduces Deglutition Risk: A Novel Feeding Method for Patients with Dysphagia.

Texture modification in the form of gels or jellies is used for patients with dysphagia. For over 20 years, our group has been using gelatin jellies, a type of gel, as a starting diet for patients with dysphagia. Gelatin jellies are served in a small-sliced form and swallowed whole.

Speech-Swallow Dissociation of Velopharyngeal Incompetence with Pseudobulbar Palsy: Evaluation by High-Resolution Manometry.

Patients with pseudobulbar palsy often present with velopharyngeal incompetence. Velopharyngeal incompetence is usually observed during expiratory activities such as speech and/or blowing during laryngoscopy. These patients typically exhibit good velopharyngeal closure during swallowing, which is dissociated from expiratory activities.

A Case of a Patient With Spinal Muscular Atrophy With Dysphagia Who Acquired Vacuum Swallowing.

We present a case of acquired vacuum swallowing in a patient with spinal muscular atrophy associated with dysphagia. A 67-year-old male presented with spinal muscular atrophy. Even though he was able to eat orally, he required a long time to eat and faced difficulty while swallowing saliva, resulting in frequent spitting.

A Novel Exercise to Improve Suprahyoid Muscle Area and Intensity as Evaluated by Ultrasonography.

Insufficient suprahyoid muscle strength with poor opening of the upper esophageal sphincter can cause dysphagia. This study investigated whether an exercise of the suprahyoid muscle, named forehead exercise for suprahyoid muscles (FESM, "Enge-Odeko-Taiso" in Japanese), improves the geniohyoid muscle area and intensity using ultrasonography. Sixty-four participants (15 men and 49 women, 82.

Impact of Poor Oral Health Status on Swallowing Function Improvement in Older Dysphagic Patients.

Background This study aimed to explore the relationship between poor oral health status and improvement in swallowing function in older patients with dysphagia across various clinical settings, including acute and post-acute care environments. Methods This retrospective cohort study encompassed patients aged 65 years and older with dysphagia. Oral health status was assessed using the oral health assessment tool (OHAT) or the revised oral assessment guide (ROAG).

Neural substrates of cough control during coughing.

Cough is known as a protective reflex to keep the airway free from harmful substances. Although brain activity during cough was previously examined mainly by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with model analysis, this method does not capture real brain activity during cough. To obtain accurate measurements of brain activity during cough, we conducted whole-brain scans during different coughing tasks while correcting for head motion using a restraint-free positron emission tomography (PET) system.

Combined laryngeal framework surgery and cricopharyngeal muscle-origin transection: a novel effective surgery for dysphagia with pharyngolaryngeal palsy and cricopharyngeal dysfunction under local anesthesia.

Background: Cricopharyngeal myotomy and laryngeal framework surgery can improve swallowing function in patients with severe dysphagia. We developed a novel surgical technique for severe dysphagia associated with pharyngolaryngeal paralysis and cricopharyngeal dysfunction, performed under local anesthesia, and investigated its effectiveness.

Methods: We included nine patients who underwent cricopharyngeal muscle-origin transection with laryngeal framework surgery through a horizontal skin incision under local anesthesia.

Effect of Pre-Hospitalization Fall History on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior After the Implementation of a Behavioral Change Approach in Patients with Minor Ischemic Stroke: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: We aimed to determine whether a history of falls before admission affected physical activity levels and sedentary behavior negatively after implementing a behavior modification approach in patients with minor ischemic stroke.

Methods: This study constituted a secondary analysis of an intervention trial. In the intervention study, patients with minor ischemic stroke were randomly assigned to two groups: intervention and control groups.

Neuroanatomy of reduced distortion of body-centred spatial coding during body tilt in stroke patients.

Awareness of the direction of the body's (longitudinal) axis is fundamental for action and perception. The perceived body axis orientation is strongly biased during body tilt; however, the neural substrates underlying this phenomenon remain largely unknown. Here, we tackled this issue using a neuropsychological approach in patients with hemispheric stroke.

A revised version of the Seirei Swallowing Questionnaire for people with cognitive decline (Swallow-10).

The Seirei dysphagia screening questionnaire (namely, Seirei dsq) has been used to screen for oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD). Some of the questions in the questionnaire are difficult for people with cognitive decline to answer. We selected 10 items from the Seirei dsq that could be assessed by others, such as care workers (named Swallow-10).