Effect of a restrictive orthosis on the paralyzed hand in combination with constraint-induced movement therapy in a patient with chronic stroke: a case report.

Purpose: Many studies have reported the effects of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) with an orthosis on the residual function of the impaired side of post-stroke patients. We encountered a case with left hemiparesis whose functioning of the impaired hand improved by CIMT with an orthosis not to assist as in the past but to restrict the residual function of the paralyzed fingers.

Methods: The patient was a 46-year-old woman with left hemiparesis due to cerebral infarction 18 months ago.

The Evaluation of Benzodiazepine-induced Dysphagia Using High-resolution Manometry.

We evaluated the pathophysiology of dysphagia considered to be induced by benzodiazepine using high-resolution manometry (HRM). A 53-year-old man with Parkinson disease had had dysphagia for over 3 months. He had been taking several benzodiazepines for more than four years.

Effect of Functional Electrical Stimulation in Convalescent Stroke Patients: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: We evaluated whether the Walkaide device could effectively improve walking ability and lower extremity function in post-stroke patients with foot drop. Patients aged 20-85 years with an initial stroke within ≤6 months and a functional ambulation classification score of 3 or 4 were eligible.

Materials And Methods: Patients were randomly allocated to the functional electrical stimulation (FES) or control group at a 1:1 ratio.

A Case of Dysphagia and Dysarthria Improved by Flexible-palatal Lift/augmentation Combination Prosthesis.

Background: Palatal augmentation prosthesis (PAP) and palatal lift prosthesis (PLP) have been used to improve dysphagia and dysarthria. However, to date, there are few reports on their combined use. We report a quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of a flexible-palatal lift/augmentation combination prosthesis (fPL/ACP) based on videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and speech intelligibility testing.

The Usefulness of Swallowing Pressure Assessment in the Identification of Mild Pharyngeal Weakness of Myasthenia Gravis: A Case Report.

Despite the clinical impact of dysphagia in myasthenia gravis (MG), a standard protocol for diagnosing dysphagia reliably has not yet been established. High-resolution manometry (HRM) provides precise information on pharyngeal pressure. We hypothesized that swallowing pressure assessment using HRM during the edrophonium chloride (EC) test could identify mild bulbar symptoms with no abnormalities on videoendoscopic (VE) and videofluorographic (VF) examination of swallowing, and we tested this hypothesis on a 72-year-old female patient diagnosed with ocular MG who developed slight pharyngeal discomfort over 3 months.

Association of poor oral health status and faecal incontinence in patients with dysphagia: A cross-sectional analysis from the Sarcopenic Dysphagia Database.

Background: Poor oral health status may alter oral and gut microbiota. Previous studies have shown that poor oral health can exacerbate gut inflammation. Therefore, poor oral health status may be related to faecal incontinence via changes in the gut.

Bridge Swallowing Exercise for Stroke Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptoms: A Case Series.

Background: We previously reported that swallowing in the bridge position (bridge swallowing) strengthened esophageal contractions and increased the lower esophageal sphincter pressure against gravity. Furthermore, bridge swallowing exercise improved the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in subjects with GERD. Bridge swallowing may have the potential to strengthen esophageal peristalsis and improve GERD.

Use of the "ee" Maneuver in a Patient With Dysphagia Due to Severe Pseudobulbar Palsy.

Dysphagia in pseudobulbar palsy is characterized by impairment of the oral stage of swallowing. The flow of the bolus from the oral cavity into the pharynx at the fauces may be blocked in some patients, which prevents the bolus flow by contact of the tongue with the palate. Herein, we demonstrated a case with pseudobulbar palsy who could deliver bolus from the oral cavity to the pharynx by vocalizing "ee.

Effects on sedentary behaviour of an approach to reduce sedentary behaviour in patients with minor ischaemic stroke: A randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine the effects on sedentary behaviour of an approach that promotes reduction in sedentary behaviour in patients with minor ischaemic stroke after intervention and at follow-up.

Design: A randomised controlled trial.

Setting: During hospitalisation and after hospital discharge.

Bridge Swallowing Exercise for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptoms: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: We previously reported that swallowing in the bridge position (bridge swallowing) increased distal esophageal contractions and lower esophageal sphincter pressure against gravity. Moreover, bridge swallowing had the potential to strengthen esophageal peristalsis. In this study, we sought to evaluate whether the bridge swallowing exercise could improve gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and gastroscopy findings.

Food appearance affects reward-related brain activity in healthy adults: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

A good appearance of food increases appetite. A new food product called iEat® resembles the appearance and softness of familiar foods. Previous studies have reported that iEat® foods increase appetite.

Association of Existence of Sarcopenia and Poor Recovery of Swallowing Function in Post-Stroke Patients with Severe Deglutition Disorder: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: The effect of sarcopenia on the recovery of swallowing function, and the interaction among sarcopenia, nutrition care, and rehabilitation therapy are inconclusive.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study was conducted between November 2018 and October 2020 in convalescent rehabilitation hospitals in Japan and included post-stroke patients aged ≥65 years with dysphagia. All participants were assigned to sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia groups.

Prevalence of sarcopenic obesity based on newly proposed diagnostic criteria and functional outcomes in older adults undergoing rehabilitation.

In 2022, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) working group proposed uniform diagnostic criteria for sarcopenic obesity. However, no study has adapted these criteria to an Asian population or examined sarcopenic obesity prevalence diagnosed using these criteria or its association with functional outcomes. This retrospective cohort study investigated sarcopenic obesity prevalence diagnosed based on the ESPEN and EASO criteria, and its association with functional outcomes in 1080 older Japanese patients (mean age 79.

Association of medial gastrocnemius adiposity with poststroke severe malnutrition and functional performance of activities of daily living in older patients: A prospective analysis.

Background: Relationships among medial gastrocnemius intramuscular adipose tissue, nutrition status, and functional outcomes of patients after a stroke are unknown. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between nutrition status and gastrocnemius intramuscular adipose tissue and whether medial gastrocnemius intramuscular adipose tissue affects functional outcomes of older patients after a stroke.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 217 patients with stroke.

Cricopharyngeal muscle origin transection for oropharyngeal dysphagia, a novel surgical technique.

Background: Cricopharyngeal myotomy improves pharyngeal dysphagia by resecting the cricopharyngeal muscle.

Methods: Our procedure, cricopharyngeal muscle origin transection (CPM-OT) is performed through a midline skin incision at the cricoid cartilage level under local anesthesia.

Conclusions: Sixteen patients demonstrated preservation of vocal fold movement without laryngeal nerve injury immediately after CPM-OT in the awake state during aspiration prevention surgery using the glottic closure technique.

Association between physical activity levels and depressive symptoms in patients with minor ischemic stroke.

Objective: Post-stroke depression is associated with stroke recurrence and it is necessary to identify its influencing factors. The study aims to determine whether physical activity during hospitalization, as measured by accelerometer, was associated with depression after discharge in patients with minor ischemic stroke.

Materials And Methods: This prospective observational study assessed 76 patients with minor ischemic stroke (aged 71.

Sarcopenia Affects Functional Independence Measure motor Scores in Elderly Patients with Stroke.

Objectives: There is no unified view of the relationship between sarcopenia and the activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. This study aimed to determine whether sarcopenia affects the ADL in elderly patients with stroke.

Materials And Methods: This case-control study included 472 stroke patients aged ≥ 65 years who were admitted to the convalescent rehabilitation ward.

Association between food texture levels consumed and the prevalence of malnutrition and sarcopenia in older patients after stroke.

Background/objectives: Texture-modified diets (TMDs) may affect nutritional status and sarcopenia in patients after stroke. This study aimed to investigate the association of food texture levels consumed by patients after stroke with the prevalence of malnutrition and sarcopenia.

Subjects/methods: This was a two-center cross-sectional study.

Factors Associated with Food Form in Long-Term Care Insurance Facilities.

We examined factors related to dietary intake status (food form) of long-term care facility (LTCF) residents to identify factors related to proper food form choice for older individuals requiring nursing care. We surveyed 888 residents from 37 LTCFs in Japan. We evaluated basic information (age, sex, body mass index [BMI]), food form (swallowing-adjusted diet class), Barthel Index (BI), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), simply evaluated eating and swallowing functions, the number of present/functional teeth, oral diadochokinesis, repetitive saliva swallowing test (RSST), and modified water swallowing test.

Undernutrition at Admission Suppresses Post-Stroke Recovery of Trunk Function.

Objectives: Malnutrition and decreased trunk function have a negative influence on the activities of daily living (ADL) prognosis after stroke. However, the relationship between malnutrition and improvement in trunk function has not been clarified. We aimed to examine the influence of malnutrition on the improvement in trunk function in stroke patients.

Hospital Frailty Risk Score predicts adverse events in older patients with vertebral compression fractures: Analysis of data in a nationwide in-patient database in Japan.

Aims: This study investigated the usefulness of frailty for predicting adverse events in patients with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) during hospitalization using data obtained from the Japanese health insurance system.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study of patients with VCFs aged ≥65 years was conducted using a nationwide database in Japan. We examined the relationships between frailty risk, classified using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS), in-hospital mortality, and complications such as pressure ulcers and pneumonia.