Tongue pressure is a strong predictor of recommendation for gastrostomy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: Objective and practical biomarkers to determine the need for gastrostomy in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are lacking. Tongue pressure (TP) is a promising biomarker because it is associated with bulbar dysfunction. The aims of this study were to evaluate the association of TP with the need for gastrostomy, and to determine its optimal cut-off value. METHODS: This prospective observational study included participants with ALS taking nutrition orally. TP was evaluated using the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. Need for gastrostomy as determined by a multidisciplinary team during a 12-month follow up period was recorded. Associations between TP and need for gastrostomy placement were performed. ROC curve analysis determined the optimal cut-off value of TP to predict gastrostomy. RESULTS: Of 208 screened participants, 119 were included. Gastrostomy was indicated in 45% (53), in a 12-month follow up period. TP of ≤20 kPA was a strong predictor of gastrostomy indication (OR 11.8, CI 95% [4.61, 34.7], p < .001). The association persisted even after adjustment for weight loss, pneumonia, prolonged feeding duration, Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale score, and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association scale score (OR 4.51, CI 95% [1.50, 14.9], p = .009). By receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, 20 kPA represented the optimal cut-off value (sensitivity 0.75, specificity 0.89). DISCUSSION: TP is a strong independent predictor of gastrostomy indication in the subsequent 12 months in patients with ALS, with good sensitivity and specificity at a cutoff value of ≤20 kPA, suggesting that it may be a promising biomarker in clinical practice.

Factors associated with malnutrition among older people in Swedish short-term care: Poor oral health, dysphagia and mortality.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between malnutrition and potential contributing factors such as poor oral health, dysphagia and mortality among older people in short-term care. METHODS: This cross-sectional study is a part of the multidisciplinary multicentre project SOFIA (Swallowing function, Oral health and Food Intake in old Age), which includes older people (≥65 years) in 36 short-term care units in five regions of Sweden. Nutritional status was measured with version II of the Minimal Eating Observation and Nutrition Form (MEONF-II), oral health with the Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG), dysphagia with a water swallow test, and the mortality rate was followed for 1 year. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis and logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios for the association between malnutrition and these factors. RESULTS: Among the 391 participants, the median age was 84 years and 53.3% were women. Mortality rate was 25.1% within 1 year in the total group, and was higher among malnourished participants than among their well-nourished counterparts. Severe dysphagia (OR: 6.51, 95% CI: 2.40-17.68), poor oral health (OR: 5.73, 95% CI: 2.33-14.09) and female gender (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.24-3.93) were independently associated with malnutrition. CONCLUSION: Mortality rate was higher among malnourished people than those who were well nourished. Severe dysphagia, poor oral health and female gender was predictors of malnutrition among older people in short-term care. These health risks should be given more attention in short-term care with early identification.

Referral Patterns to Speech and Language Therapy in the UK before, during, and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: Dysphagia Compared with Communication Disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Acquired swallowing impairment is a major public health issue that often leads to increased morbidity and slower recovery. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) have taken the lead in the assessment and treatment of dysphagia, which is reflected in guidelines where early intervention is recommended. This is in addition to the central role that SLTs play in the management of acquired communication impairments since research indicates that patients with communication difficulties benefit from early and intensive therapy by SLTs. This increasing demand for SLTs is expected to cause conflicting pressures in their workload and, therefore, beneficial to consider workforce planning. The aim of this study was to examine real-world data in the UK to investigate this issue regarding changes in referral patterns of patients with dysphagia and/or communication disorders to SLTs over time, to assist with workforce planning. METHODS: We interrogated the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Online Outcome Tool, a national database, in this retrospective cohort study. We included patients evaluated between 2018 and 2022. We performed a subgroup analysis of patients aged ≥40 years who had a primary medical diagnosis of stroke. Data on age, primary diagnosis, time on caseload, primary Therapeutic Outcome Measure (TOM) scale and initial TOM score on impairment were examined. RESULTS: From the database of 44,444 referrals to speech and language therapy, 5,254 referrals were included in the stroke and overall subgroup analyses. Referrals were 55.1% male, with a median age of 71 years. More than half (56.1%) of these referrals were for dysphagia. Referrals decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic but began to recover from 2021 onwards. The time on the SLT caseload has increased over the years from a median of 14 days (interquartile range [IQR] 0-56) in 2018 to 20 days (IQR: 3-81) in 2022. While there were more referrals to SLT services for assessment and management of dysphagia than for communication in the overall population, in the stroke subgroup, referrals for communication disorders outnumbered referrals for dysphagia from 2020 onwards. Additionally, the severity of impairment on referral increased over the years. CONCLUSION: Real-world data indicates that referrals to SLT services are changing over time to include more complex and severely impaired patients, with a demand for both swallowing and communication disorders. These findings should inform staff allocation and remodelling of education/training for SLTs to better meet clinical and public health needs. The retrospective nature of this study limits the strength and generalisability of these data, and this topic warrants further investigation.

The effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in head and neck cancer patients with radiation induced dysphagia-a systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy  (HBOT) in patients with dysphagia after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. METHOD: A systematic search was conducted in the electronic databases Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant studies until March 14, 2023. No restriction on language or publication date. The criteria for inclusion: patients with HNC who had received both radiation therapy and HBOT as 1) a preventive treatment against swallowing difficulties, 2) to preserve swallowing function, or 3) to promote swallowing difficulties. RESULTS: We identified 1396 records. After removal of 31 duplicates, 1365 records were accessible for title and abstract screening. This yielded 53 studies for full text assessment. Six studies met the eligibility criteria and were included for qualitative analysis. CONCLUSION: Evidence of HBOT benefits in patients with dysphagia after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer is inconsistent. Well-designed studies using validated outcome measures and long-term follow-up are warranted.

Assessing Dysphagia in the Adult.

This article explores the landscape of dysphagia assessment in adults. Dysphagia, a complex condition affecting the lifespan and many health conditions, significantly compromises individuals' quality of life. Dysphagia is often underdiagnosed, emphasizing the need for comprehensive assessment methods to ensure timely and accurate intervention. It encompasses clinical history, physical examination, clinical and instrumental swallow evaluations. Procedures within each of these modalities are reviewed, highlighting strengths, limitations, and contribution toward a complete understanding of dysphagia, ultimately guiding effective intervention strategies for improved patient outcomes.

Swallowing Rehabilitation: Tracing the Evolution of Assessment and Intervention Approaches for Dysphagia over 30 Years.

Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing is a common condition affecting millions worldwide. It can occur due to structural problems, neurological disorders, cancer treatment, aging, etc. Swallowing rehabilitation aims to help patients regain safe and efficient swallowing function through compensatory strategies and exercises. This literature review examines the recent advancements in swallowing rehabilitation techniques over the past three decades, with a focus on innovations in diagnostics, personalized medicine, and patient care.

A comparison of swallowing related quality of life in patients undergoing transoral endoscopic versus open thyroid surgery.

INTRODUCTION: It is important for the endoscopic thyroid surgeon to understand the pros and cons of trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy-vestibular approach (TOETVA) vis-à-vis, open conventional thyroidectomy (OTx) so he/she can help patients in making informed choices regarding the type of procedure to opt for. Swallowing related quality of life (SWAL-QoL) has not been compared between the two approaches. Using a rigorous qualitative methodology and validated reliable tool, this study set out to compare the swallowing related quality of life in patients undergoing TOETVA versus OTx. METHODS: Prospective study at 3 time points in patients planned for hemithyroidectomy (Preoperative, 1 week and 12 weeks). Data were collected on patients at a tertiary teaching institute in India. Participants ranged from age 18-60 years with a diagnosis of benign euthyroid nodule undergoing hemithyroidectomy. Exclusion criteria were-(1) pre-existing vocal cord abnormalities, (2) undergoing surgery for recurrent nodules, and (3) any neuro-muscular disease affecting swallowing ability. Main outcome measure was comparison of swallowing related quality of life domain scores between patients undergoing hemithyroidectomy via either endoscopic trans-oral or open approach. RESULTS: Of the 82 included patients, 40 underwent TOETVA and 42 OTx. Both the groups were comparable in terms of demographic and clinicopathological profile. The mean preoperative SWAL-QOL scores were comparable in all domains. Mean SWAL-QoL scores for all domains on postoperative day 7 were significantly better in TOETVA group with domains burden, eating desire, mental health and communication having medium effect sizes. Physical symptom domain was better in the OTx group but had a small effect size. The difference in SWAL-QoL domains between the two groups persisted for 3 months also. CONCLUSION: Swallowing related quality of life after trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy compared to conventional open surgery has not been reported in the literature. Our findings suggest that trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy results in significant superior swallowing related quality of life in the majority of domains.

Comparative analysis of videofluoroscopy and pulse oximetry for aspiration identification in patients with dysphagia after stroke and non-dysphagics.

PURPOSE: Dysphagia is a prevalent symptom observed in acute stroke. Several bedside screening tests are employed for the early detection of dysphagia. Pulse oximetry emerges as a practical and supportive method to augment the existing techniques utilized during bedside swallowing assessments. Desaturation levels, as measured by pulse oximetry, are acknowledged as indicative of aspiration by certain screening tests. However, the predictive capability of pulse oximetry in determining aspiration remains a subject of controversy. The objective of this study was to compare aspiration and oxygen desaturation levels by time and aspiration severity in dysphagic patients compared to healthy controls. It also aimed to evaluate the accuracy of pulse oximetry by comparing it with VFSS findings in detecting aspiration in both liquid (IDDSI-0) and semi-solid (IDDSI-4) consistencies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty subjects (40 healthy and 40 acute stroke patients) participated. Patients suspected of dysphagia underwent videofluoroscopy as part of the stroke unit's routine procedure. Baseline SpO2 was measured before VFSS, and stabilized values were recorded. Sequential IDDSI-0 and IDDSI-4 barium tests were conducted with 5 ml boluses. Stabilized SPO2 values were recorded during swallowing and 3-min post-feeding. Patients with non-dysphagia received equal bolus monitoring. Changes in SPO2 during, before, and after swallowing were analyzed for each consistency in both groups. RESULTS: The study revealed a statistically significant difference in SPO2 between patients with dysphagia and controls for IDDSI-4 and IDSSI-0. In IDDSI-4, 20% of patients experienced SpO2 decrease compared to 2.5% in control group (p = 0.013). For IDDSI-0, 35% of patients showed SpO2 decrease, while none in the control group did (p = 0.0001). Aspiration rates were 2.5% in IDDSI-4 and 57.5% in IDDSI-0. In IDDSI-0, SpO2 decrease significantly correlated with aspiration (p = 0.0001). In IDDSI-4, 20.5% had SpO2 decrease without aspiration, and showing no significant difference (p = 0.613). Penetration-Aspiration Scale scores had no significant association with SpO2 decrease (p = 0.602). Pulse oximetry in IDDSI-4 had limited sensitivity (0%) and positive predictive value, (0%) while in IDDSI-0, it demonstrated acceptable sensitivity (60.9%) and specificity (100%) with good discrimination capability (AUC = 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in SPO2 may indicate potential aspiration but is insufficient alone for detection. This study proposes pulse oximetry as a valuable complementary tool in assessing dysphagia but emphasizes that aspiration cannot be reliably predicted based solely on SpO2 decrease.

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Dysphagia Handicap Index Using Rasch Analysis.

Background/Objectives: The Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) is commonly used in oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) research as a self-report measure of functional health status and health-related quality of life. The DHI was developed and validated using classic test theory. The aim of this study was to use item response theory (Rasch analysis) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the DHI. Methods: Prospective, consecutive patient data were collected at dysphagia or otorhinolaryngology clinics. The sample included 256 adults (53.1% male; mean age 65.2) at risk of OD. The measure's response scale, person and item fit characteristics, differential item functioning, and dimensionality were evaluated. Results: The rating scale was ordered but showed a potential gap in the rating category labels for the overall measure. The overall person (0.91) and item (0.97) reliability was excellent. The overall measure reliably separated persons into at least three distinct groups (person separation index = 3.23) based on swallowing abilities, but the subscales showed inadequate separation. All infit mean squares were in the acceptable range except for the underfitting for item 22 (F). More misfitting was evident in the Z-Standard statistics. Differential item functioning results indicated good performance at an item level for the overall measure; however, contrary to expectation, an OD diagnosis presented only with marginal DIF. The dimensionality of the DHI showed two dimensions in contrast to the three dimensions suggested by the original authors. Conclusions: The DHI failed to reproduce the original three subscales. Caution is needed using the DHI subscales; only the DHI total score should be used. A redevelopment of the DHI is needed; however, given the complexities involved in addressing these issues, the development of a new measure that ensures good content validity may be preferred.

Analysis of the Improvement Effect of Combined Application of Oral Rehabilitation Training and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Pediatric Swallowing Disorders.

Pediatric swallowing disorders are common yet often overlooked neuro-muscular system diseases that significantly impact the quality of life and development of affected children. This study aims to explore the effect of combined application of oral rehabilitation training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on improving pediatric swallowing disorders. Children meeting the inclusion criteria for swallowing disorders were divided into control and experimental groups based on different intervention protocols. The experimental group received combined oral rehabilitation training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, while the control group received only oral rehabilitation training. Results showed that the intervention was more effective in the experimental group, with shorter recovery time for normal swallowing function and improved nutritional status and quality of life. This study provides scientific evidence for clinical treatment of pediatric swallowing disorders. In conclusion, the combined application of oral rehabilitation training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation effectively improves pediatric swallowing disorders, with superior efficacy compared to single treatment methods. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism of action and optimize treatment protocols to enhance the therapeutic outcomes and prognosis of pediatric swallowing disorders.

Complications of oropharyngeal dysphagia in older individuals and patients with neurological disorders: insights from Mataró hospital, Catalonia, Spain.

Background: Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) significantly impacts older individuals and neurologically compromised patients, hindering safe ingestion of food and liquids. Despite its prevalence, OD remains underdiagnosed and undertreated, leading to severe complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, respiratory infections, and aspiration pneumonia (AP), and increases hospital readmissions. Objectives: This study analyzes the intricate relationship between OD and various clinical complications in older individuals and patients with neurological disorders. Methods: Utilizing retrospective analysis and narrative review, our work consolidates findings from prior studies on Hospital de Mataro's dysphagia patient cohort. Revisiting OD's intricate association with clinical complications, it presents data via odds ratios (OR), incidence ratios (IR), and hazard ratios (HR) from univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Five studies (2001-2014) involving 3,328 patients were scrutinized. OD exhibited independent and significant associations with various complications among older patients. Older individuals with OD faced heightened 1-month (ODDS 3.28) and 1-year (OR 3.42) mortality risks post-pneumonia diagnosis. OD correlated with a 2.72-fold risk of malnutrition, 2.39-fold risk of lower respiratory tract infections, 1.82-fold pneumonia readmissions (IR), and 5.07-fold AP readmissions (IR). Post-stroke OD is linked to neurological impairment (OR 3.38) and respiratory (OR 9.54) and urinary infections (OR 7.77), alongside extended hospital stays (beta coefficient 2.11). Conclusion: Oropharyngeal dysphagia causes and significantly exacerbates diverse clinical complications in older and post-stroke patients, emphasizing the urgent need for proactive identification, comprehensive assessment, and tailored management. Acknowledging OD's broader implications in general medical practice is pivotal to improving patient outcomes and healthcare quality.

CPAP Treatment Improves Quality of Life and Self-perception of Voice Impairment in Patients with OSA.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to examine vocal fatigue and impairment, gastroesophageal symptoms, dysphagia risk, and sleep-related quality of life in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who have been treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) compared to those who have not received treatment. METHODS: Fifty-four participants diagnosed with OSA completed an online research form. Of these, 29 were receiving CPAP treatment, while 25 were not undergoing treatment. The following instruments were used: Vocal Fatigue Index, Voice Handicap Index, Gastroesophageal symptoms, Eating Assessment Tool, and Quebec Sleep Questionnaire. RESULTS: The group that received CPAP treatment had significantly lower scores in the functional domain and total Voice Handicap Index. They also experienced fewer symptoms of regurgitation, reduced daytime sleepiness, fewer nocturnal symptoms, and better emotional and social interactions in their quality of life compared to the untreated group. There were no significant differences in voice fatigue and dysphagia risk between the groups. CONCLUSION: Individuals treated with CPAP experience reduced vocal impairment, fewer regurgitation symptoms, and improvement in the emotional and social interactions domains of their quality of life compared to individuals without treatment.

Eosinophilic esophagitis prevalence, incidence, and presenting features: a 22-year population-based observational study from southwest Sweden.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the esophagus that affects both children and adults. Symptoms in adults are mainly esophageal dysphagia, which ranges from mild symptoms to acute food bolus obstruction of the esophagus. Diagnosis is defined as symptoms of esophageal dysfunction and ≥ 15 eosinophils/high power field (HPF) in at least one of the biopsies taken from the esophagus. EoE appears to be increasing in both prevalence and incidence. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, incidence, and presenting symptoms of patients with EoE within the catchment area of Northern Älvsborg County Hospital in Trollhättan. Patient records with the ICD code of EoE between 2012 and 2022 and pathology reports from esophageal biopsies from 2000-2022 were examined. Patients with symptoms of esophageal dysfunction and > 15 eosinophils/HPF were classified as having EoE. In total, 409 EoE patients (379 adults and 30 children) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria during the follow-up period. The overall prevalence was 113 cases/100 000 inhabitants (adults 127/100 000 and children 57/100 000) at 31 December 2022. The incidence was 7/100 000 and increased during the observation period. At diagnosis, 46% of the adults and 11% of the children had a history of acute bolus obstruction requiring hospitalization, while 51% of adults and 22% of children exhibited endoscopic findings of fibrosis. The prevalence of EoE is significantly higher than that generally reported in an area of southwest Sweden. The results indicate that the incidence is increasing; however, whether this is due to an actual increase or heightened awareness of EoE is inconclusive. Acute bolus obstruction is a common presenting symptom among EoE patients and is most likely an effect of late diagnosis.

Exploring the diagnostic accuracy and applicability of the Gugging Swallowing Screen in children with feeding and/or swallowing disorders.

BACKGROUND: The Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS) is a bedside dysphagia screening tool that has been designed to determine the risk of aspiration in acute stroke patients. There is no evidence in the literature for the GUSS for the pediatric population. The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of GUSS as a screening tool in the Greek language for children with dysphagia. METHODS: Eighty-Greek-Cypriot children aged 3-12 years who had dysphagia participated in this retrospective study. The translated into Greek GUSS was administered twice (pre- and post-therapy) to each patient throughout 24 sessions of dysphagia therapy. KEY RESULTS: The GUSS showed a high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.826), good test-retest reliability (rs = 0.767), convergent validity compared to the Greek Pediatric Eating Assessment tool-10 (PEDI-EAT-10) total score (rs = -0.365), and inter-rater reliability (κ = 0.863). A total cutoff points equal to 13.00 was also calculated. Aspiration was identified by the GUSS with low sensitivity and high specificity (PPV 100%, NPV 57%, LR+ NA, LR- 0.79); dysphagia/penetration was identified with high sensitivity and low specificity (PPV 33%, NPV 100%, LR+ 0.102, LR- NA). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The pediatric version of GUSS has been found to be a valuable tool in identifying the risk of aspiration as that of adults. It proved to be used as a good screening guide for selecting and confirming the existence of dysphagia from instrumental assessments. This is the first study of the pediatric version of GUSS, and future studies on this topic are needed.

Swallowing dysfunction between the community-living older adults with and without comorbid conditions using Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROM).

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate older adults' perspective on their swallowing physiology using a PROM tool. The study further explored the swallowing issues among older adults with and without comorbid conditions. METHOD: One hundred twenty-two (122) participants participated in the e-survey. A questionnaire was developed to assess the swallowing deficits among older adults, and Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) was administered to assess the PROM. RESULTS: The results revealed that 40% of older adults with comorbid conditions had EAT-10 scores greater than 3, suggesting swallowing deficits. A significant difference was observed between the two groups with respect to swallowing deficits, as reported on EAT-10. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, it can be delineated that swallowing deficits emerge with aging. More of older adults with comorbid conditions reported swallowing deficits in comparison to those without comorbid conditions. Hence, their nutritional and health status gets compromised, leading to poor quality of life.

Comparing biomechanics and neurophysiology between different phenotypes of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia.

The pathophysiology of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) across patient phenotypes may differ. The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanics and neurophysiology of swallowing between healthy volunteers (HVs) and patients with dysphagia as a consequence of aging (OOD), post-stroke (PSOD), Parkinson's disease (POD), or dementia (DOD). A retrospective study including 35 HVs and 109 OOD, 195 PSOD, 78 POD, and 143 DOD patients was performed. Videofluoroscopic data of signs of impaired efficacy and safety, penetration-aspiration scale (PAS) score, and the biomechanics of laryngeal vestibule closure (LVC) and opening (LVO) and of upper esophageal sphincter opening (UESO) were collected. Neurophysiology was assessed with pharyngeal sensory evoked potentials and neurotopography maps. All OD phenotypes showed signs of impaired efficacy and safety of swallowing, increased PAS score (p < 0.001), and delayed time to LVC (p < 0.0001). OOD (p < 0.0001), PSOD (p < 0.0001), and POD (p = 0.0065) patients also had delayed time to LVO, and OOD (p = 0.0062) and DOD (p = 0.0016) patients to UESO. Regarding neurophysiology, all phenotypes presented impaired pharyngeal sensitivity, a significant reduction in cortical activation, and impaired sensory input integration. Additionally, only PSOD was associated with impaired conduction of sensory stimuli. In conclusion, we found common but also specific pathophysiological elements. These results improve our understanding of OD pathophysiology and may help pave the way for phenotype-specific treatments.

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. Instructions regarding vacuum swallowing to eliminate pharyngeal residue were provided, and a reduction in meal duration and improved saliva swallowing were observed. High-resolution manometry revealed a significant increase in pharyngeal contractile integral and a significant decrease in esophageal pressure with vacuum swallowing, which enabled the passage of a bolus through the pharynx compared with non-vacuum swallowing. Furthermore, an increase in the lower esophageal sphincter pressure, reflecting diaphragmatic contraction, was also observed. Therefore, this case report elucidates that a patient with neuromuscular disorders could acquire vacuum swallowing with proper instructions.

Deglutologist Practices and Perceptions of the Penetration-Aspiration Scale: A Survey Study.

Successful dysphagia management requires accurate, succinct diagnosis and characterization of swallowing safety impairments. However, the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) remains the only available tool developed exclusively for assessment of airway protection. To best support efforts to advance the field's understanding of swallowing safety, it is crucial to understand current clinician practice patterns, perceptions, and accuracy regarding the PAS. A 46-item survey was developed and distributed to deglutologists internationally examining: (1) Demographics; (2) Scale Practices; (3) Swallowing Safety Priorities; (4) Scale Perceptions; and (5) Accuracy. The first four sections consisted of questionnaires. In the optional fifth section, respondents were asked to score five videos of swallows collected via videofluoroscopy and previously PAS-scored by two trained raters. In total, 335 responses were analyzed. The majority of respondents self-reported PAS training (84%); 90% of untrained respondents were receptive to training. Respondents reported using the PAS "always" (40%) or "frequently" (29%), and that the PAS carries "a great deal of" weight in assessment (40%). Reported application of the PAS was heterogeneous, with the most common approach being "single worst score per unique presentation" (45%). Most respondents (64%) prioritized a parameter not captured by the PAS. Untrained respondents were significantly more confident with PAS ratings than trained respondents (X2 = 7.47; p = 0.006). Of 1460 PAS ratings provided, 364 of them were accurate (25%) when compared to ratings by trained lab members. Results of this survey reflect ubiquitous use of the PAS, unmet needs for assessment of swallowing safety, low accuracy despite generally high confidence, and heterogenous training that does not correspond to confidence. This emphasizes the need for additional training in clinical application of the PAS as well as development of novel metrics to optimize assessments of swallowing safety.

Dysphagia in patients with sickle cell disease: An understudied problem.

Dysphagia which is defined as disordered swallowing is well known as one of the most common and dangerous symptoms of many diseases, including neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and most commonly, stroke. Strokes are a potentially devastating complication of sickle cell disease (SCD), the most common genetic hemoglobinopathy worldwide, yet little is known about dysphagia as it relates to SCD. Thus, the purposes of this article are to review briefly the primary causes and health consequences of dysphagia, to highlight the relevance of dysphagia to SCD, to review what little is known about dysphagia in SCD, to recommend, based on our consensus and the available literature, when to screen, evaluate, and monitor dysphagia in patients with SCD, and to outline unanswered questions where research on dysphagia in SCD might improve health outcomes.

The Prevalence of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

To determine the global prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) in adults. Six electronic databases (Embase, LILACS, LIVIVO, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched, in addition to gray literature (ASHA, Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertation, and Theses). A random-effects model for meta-analysis of proportions was conducted, and heterogeneity was evaluated according to the moderator variable through subgroup analysis and meta-regression. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE tool. Thirty papers were included for qualitative and quantitative synthesis. The combined prevalence estimate was 60% [CI 95% = 50%-70%; I2 = 95%], accounting for different baseline conditions. However, the wide variation that exists between the different baseline conditions (underlying disease or risk factor) tended to overestimate this prevalence when considering the general population. Only one study evaluated healthy individuals, which showed a prevalence of 31% [CI95% = 27%-36%]. The risk of bias was considered low for all studies. None of the variables were considered predictors for the observed variance between the effect sizes of the included studies. For the prevalence of OD, the GRADE rating was considered very low. Despite the high prevalence observed, with over half of the individuals affected, the evidence regarding this outcome remains uncertain due to an overestimation of the generated estimates caused by the baseline condition of the sample.