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Purpose: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common and complication-prone symptom after stroke and is assumed to increase medical expenses. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine acute hospitalization costs associated with post-stroke dysphagia. Method: This retrospective study included patients with acute stroke who had been examined by Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES). Health insurance expenditures were determined for the patient cases according to the 2021 revenue criteria. Multiple linear regression was used to examine predictors of health insurance spending including age, sex, stroke severity, stroke characteristics, comorbidity, therapeutic interventions, duration of artificial ventilation, length of hospital stay, and severity of dysphagia, as assessed by the Fiberoptic Endoscopic Dysphagia Severity Scale (FEDSS), ranging from 1 (best) to 6 (worst). Findings: Six hundred seventy four patients (men/women: 367/307; mean age: 71.1 ± 12.8 years; mean National Institute of Health Stroke Scale: 11.2 ± 6.2; FEDSS 1/2/3/4/5/6: 113/73/144/119/124/101; mean health-insurance costs 11,521.5 ± 12,950.5€) were included in the analysis. Advanced age ( p = 0.007; B = 57.6), catheter interventions ( p Discussion and conclusion: The results of this study show an association between severe dysphagia and health care costs for acute hospitalization from a health-insurance perspective. Therefore, therapies that target severe dysphagia with impaired secretion management may have the potential to reduce costs.

Objective In the evaluation of oropharyngeal dysphagia, instrumental procedures, for example, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing or videofluoroscopic swallowing study, are essential to improve diagnostic accuracy for salient findings such as penetration, aspiration, or pharyngeal residue. To date, it is unclear which of the 2 methods represents the diagnostic gold standard. The aim of this study, therefore, was to compare videofluoroscopy and swallowing endoscopy during a simultaneous swallowing examination in a large cohort of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia. Designs Prospective observational study. Setting and participants In this study, 49 patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia (mean age 70.0 ± 10.8 years) were evaluated using simultaneous swallowing endoscopy and videofluoroscopy. Furthermore, the effect of narrow-band imaging in swallowing endoscopy on the assessment of penetration and aspiration was investigated in a subgroup of 19 patients. Measures The Penetration-Aspiration Scale and the Yale Pharyngeal Residue Severity Rating Scale were rated independently based on both modalities. Results Both modalities showed a high correlation between penetration, aspiration, and pharyngeal residue. Causes for a higher score on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale in videofluoroscopy were intradeglutitive events that were not visible in swallowing endoscopy or false-positive events because of the loss of the lateral dimension in videofluoroscopy. A typical reason for a higher score on this scale in swallowing endoscopy was the better visualization of the anatomical structures. Narrow-band imaging in swallowing endoscopy resulted in a higher score on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale for liquids and semisolids in individual cases, although overall there was no statistically significant difference between scores using white light or narrow-band imaging. Conclusions and Implications Videofluoroscopy and swallowing endoscopy may equally be considered as a diagnostic gold standard for oropharyngeal dysphagia regarding penetration, aspiration, and pharyngeal residue. Narrow-band imaging may increase the sensitivity for penetration and aspiration in individual cases.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a frequent finding in older patients with potentially lethal complications such as aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and dehydration. Recent studies describe sarcopenia as a causative factor for OD, which is occasionally referred to as “sarcopenic dysphagia” in the absence of a neurogenic etiology. In most of the previous studies on sarcopenic dysphagia, the diagnosis was based only on clinical assessment. In this study, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) was used as an objective method to evaluate the presence of OD, its association with sarcopenia, and the presence of pure sarcopenic dysphagia. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 109 acute care geriatric hospital patients with suspected OD received FEES examination and bioimpedance analysis (BIA) in clinical routine. 95% of patients had at least one neurological disease, 70% fulfilled the criteria for sarcopenia, and 45% displayed moderate or severe OD. Although the prevalence of sarcopenia and OD was high, there was no significant association between OD and sarcopenia. Considering these results, both the association between sarcopenia and OD and pure sarcopenic dysphagia appear questionable. Further prospective studies are needed to elucidate if sarcopenia is merely an epiphenomenon of severe disease or whether it plays a causative role in the development of OD.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) can present with dysphagia as a leading or only symptom. In such cases, diagnostic evaluation may be difficult, especially if serological and electromyographical findings are unsuspicious. In this observational study we propose and evaluate a diagnostic algorithm to identify IIM as a cause of unexplained dysphagia.Over a period of 4 years, patients with unexplained dysphagia were offered diagnostic evaluation according to a specific algorithm: The pattern of dysphagia was characterized by instrumental assessment (swallowing endoscopy, videofluoroscopy, high-resolution manometry). Patients with an IIM-compatible dysphagia pattern were subjected to further IIM-focused diagnostic procedures, including whole-body muscle magnetic resonance imaging, electromyography, creatine kinase blood level, IIM antibody panel and, as a final diagnostic step, muscle biopsy. Muscle biopsies were taken from affected muscles. In cases where no other muscles showed abnormalities, the cricopharyngeal muscle was targeted.Seventy-two patients presented with IIM-compatible dysphagia as a leading or only symptom. As a result of the specific diagnostic approach, 19 of these patients were diagnosed with IIM according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria. Eighteen patients received immunomodulatory therapy as a result of the diagnosis. Of 10 patients with follow-up swallowing examination, dysphagia improved in three patients after therapy, while it remained at least stable in six patients.Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy constitutes a potentially treatable etiology in patients with unexplained dysphagia. The diagnostic algorithm presented in this study helps to identify patients with an IIM-compatible dysphagia pattern and to assign those patients for further IIM-focused diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Introduction Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a clinical hallmark of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). This study investigated predictors, outcome, and characteristics of oropharyngeal dysphagia in patients with different types of IIM. Methods Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) videos of 71 IIM patients were retrospectively analysed for bolus spillage, penetration, aspiration, and pharyngeal residue. Based on these findings, dysphagia severity was rated. Regression analyses were performed to investigate demographic and disease-specific predictors of dysphagia severity and pneumonia as outcome-relevant complications of dysphagia. A score was developed to rate the quality of the endoscopic white-out as a surrogate marker for pharyngeal muscle weakness with consecutive residue. Results Our analysis revealed no independent predictors of dysphagia severity. Dysphagia severity, however, was an independent predictor for pneumonia, which occurred in 24% of patients. Pharyngeal residue with risk of postdeglutitive aspiration was the most common dysphagia pattern. Attenuation of the endoscopic white-out was related to residue severity. Discussion Dysphagia in IIM assessed with FEES is associated with relevant complications such as aspiration pneumonia and must be considered independently of peripheral muscle weakness and disease duration. Swallowing impairment mainly presents with pharyngeal residue. The quality of the white-out may serve as a semi-quantitative surrogate marker for pharyngeal contractility. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is prevalent in age-related neurological disorders presenting with impaired efficacy and safety of swallowing due to a loss of muscle force and sensory deficits. Stimulating the oropharynx with capsaicin that mediates Substance P release is an emerging pharmacological treatment option which needs further scientific evidence. Our aim was to comprehensively evaluate the effect of capsaicin on biochemical, neurophysiological, and biomechanical parameters of swallowing function. In a randomized study on healthy individuals, the impact of orally administered capsaicinoids at different dosages and application durations in comparison to non-carbonated water was evaluated. Time course and magnitude of salivary Substance P increase were monitored. Magnetoencephalography was used to detect cortical swallowing network alterations. Modifications in swallowing biomechanics were measured applying high-resolution pharyngeal manometry. Capsaicinoids at 10 μmol/L improved swallowing efficacy as seen by a significant increase of pharyngeal contractile integral and upper esophageal sphincter activation and relaxation times in manometry. Significant improvement of precision in a challenging swallow task accompanied by a reduction in swallowing-related submental electromyographic power was observed with capsaicinoids preconditioning at 10 μmol/L over 5 min, but not with continuous stimulation. The cortical activation pattern remained unchanged after any intervention. A significant increase of salivary Substance P was not detected with 10 μmol/L but with 50 μmol/L and lasted for 15 min after application. Capsaicinoids mediate dose-dependent Substance P release and positively alter swallowing biomechanics in healthy subjects. The results provide supportive evidence for the value of natural capsaicinoids to improve swallowing function. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13311-020-00996-2.

Background: Diagnosis of pharyngeal dysphagia in patients with Parkinson’s disease is often difficult as reliable screening methods are lacking so far and clinical examination fails to adequately assess the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. Objective: To identify clinical predictors indicating the presence of pharyngeal dysphagia in patients at risk. Methods: We examined pharyngeal dysphagia in a large cohort of patients with Parkinson’s disease (n = 200) divided in three clinical subtypes (tremor-dominant (TD), mainly bradykinetic (BK) and early postural instability and gait difficulty PIGD)) by using flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. ANOVA-multivariance analysis and following t-tests as well as binary logistic regression analysis were performed to detect group differences and to identify clinical predictors for dysphagia. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the dysphagic group: age, male gender, disease duration, stage of the disease, Levodopa equivalent dose and higher scores on the Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale III and II, item 7. The PIGD subtype was affected more frequently than the TD and BK subtype. In a logistic regression model higher age (>63.5 years p 475 mg, p 63.5 years and a daily Levodopa equivalent dose >475 mg show an increased risk for pharyngeal dysphagia. These findings may partly be influenced by presbyphagia but are likely to represent disease progression. The PIGD subtype seems to be a risk factor due to more pronounced dyscoordination of oropharyngeal muscle movements.

Pharyngolaryngeal hypesthesia is a major reason for dysphagia in various neurological diseases. Emerging neuromodulation devices have shown potential to foster dysphagia rehabilitation, but the optimal treatment strategy is unknown. Because functional imaging studies are difficult to conduct in severely ill patients, we induced a virtual sensory lesion in healthy volunteers and evaluated the effects of central and peripheral neurostimulation techniques. In a sham‐controlled intervention study with crossover design on 10 participants, we tested the potential of (peripheral) pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES) and (central) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to revert the effects of lidocaine‐induced pharyngolaryngeal hypesthesia on central sensorimotor processing. Changes were observed during pharyngeal air‐pulse stimulation and voluntary swallowing applying magnetoencephalography before and after the interventions. PES induced a significant (p < .05) increase of activation during swallowing in the bihemispheric sensorimotor network in alpha and low gamma frequency ranges, peaking in the right premotor and left primary sensory area, respectively. With pneumatic stimulation, significant activation increase was found after PES in high gamma peaking in the left premotor area. Significant changes of brain activation after tDCS could neither be detected for pneumatic stimulation nor for swallowing. Due to the peripheral cause of dysphagia in this model, PES was able to revert the detrimental effects of reduced sensory input on central processing, whereas tDCS was not. Results may have implications for therapeutic decisions in the clinical context., Pharyngolaryngeal hypesthesia is a major reason for dysphagia in various neurological diseases. Here, we investigated whether pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES) or transcranial direct current stimulation can revert the effects of experimentally induced pharyngeal hypesthesia on cortical activation in healthy adults in a crossover sham‐controlled design by means of magnetoencephalography. PES was able to revert the detrimental effects of reduced sensory input on central processing, whereas transcranial direct current stimulation was not.

Background. Pharyngeal dysphagia is a common symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD) leading to severe complications. PD-related pharyngeal dysphagia (PDrPD) may significantly improve in up to half of patients following acute oral levodopa challenge. Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LCIG) on PDrPD. Methods. Forty-five PD patients under LCIG treatment were available for retrospective analysis. In all patients with PDrPD who underwent flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) in the clinical “on-state” both before and after implementation of LCIG treatment, FEES videos were systematically reassessed. PDrPD was characterized using a PD-specific FEES score evaluating premature bolus spillage, penetration/aspiration, and pharyngeal residue. Further, the duration of white-out was assessed, as a parameter for pharyngeal bradykinesia. Results. Eleven patients with PDrPD (mean age 74.6 ± 4.4 years; mean Hoehn and Yahr stage 3.8 ± 0.6) received FEES both before and after the onset of LCIG treatment. The mean swallowing score improved from 14.9 ± 7.3 to 13.0 ± 6.9 after implementation of LCIG; however, this difference was not significant (p=0.312). Premature bolus spillage decreased significantly (p=0.002) from 5.4 ± 1.1 to 3.6 ± 1.0, and white-out duration decreased significantly (p=0.002) from 984 ± 228 ms to 699 ± 131 ms after implementation of LCIG. Conclusions. LCIG may affect PDrPD and reduce premature bolus spillage and pharyngeal bradykinesia. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required to follow-up on these pilot results and identify which factors predict a good response of PDrPD to LCIG treatment.

Background and Purpose— Predicting safe extubation represents a clinical challenge in acute stroke patients. Classical respiratory weaning criteria have not proven reliable. Concerning the paramount relevance of postextubation dysphagia in this population, criteria related to airway safety seem to perform better, but diagnostic standards are lacking. We compare clinical and instrumental swallowing examination tools to assess extubation readiness and propose a simple Determine Extubation Failure in Severe Stroke score for decision making. Methods— Data of 133 orally intubated acute stroke patients were prospectively collected in this observational study. Classical extubation criteria, a modified semiquantitative airway score, and an oral motor function score were assessed before extubation. A 3-ounce water swallow test and validated 6-point fiberoptic endoscopic dysphagia severity scoring were performed thereafter. Association of demographic and clinical parameters with extubation failure (EF) was investigated. Independent predictors of EF were translated into a point scoring system. Ideal cutoff values were determined by receiver operator characteristics analyses. Results— Patients with EF (24.1% after 24±43 hours) performed worse in all swallowing assessments ( P P 2 =0.54) with an ideal cutoff ≥4 (sensitivity: 81.3% and specificity: 78.2%). Conclusions— Risk of EF is strongly correlated with postextubation dysphagia severity in stroke. Fiberoptic endoscopic examination of swallowing best predicts necessity of reintubation but requires a trial of extubation. The Determine Extubation Failure In Severe Stroke score is based on easy to collect clinical data and may guide extubation decision making in critically ill stroke patients.

Schluckstorungen haben bei nahezu allen neurologischen Erkrankungen eine hohe Pravalenz. Sie fuhren neben Mangelernahrung und Dehydration zu schwerwiegenden Komplikationen wie Aspirationspneumonie, die eine der haufigsten Todesursachen bei neurologischen Patienten darstellt. Ein fruhzeitiges Dysphagiemanagement verbessert deshalb nicht nur die Lebensqualitat der Patienten entscheidend, sondern senkt die Mortalitat. Dieser Artikel gibt eine Ubersicht diagnostischer und therapeutischer Verfahren der neurogenen Dysphagie und soll somit die klinische Entscheidungsfindung erleichtern.

INTRODUCTION Although patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome frequently require orotracheal intubation and tracheostomy, the incidence and relevance of neurogenic dysphagia prior to intubation and risk factors for prolonged requirement for a tracheal cannula have not yet been identified. METHODS Retrospective analysis of the medical records of 88 patients was performed. Clinical characteristics were compared between intubated and nonintubated patients and between immediately decannulated and not immediately decannulated patients. RESULTS Thirty-five (39.7%) patients required tracheostomy. Neuromuscular weakness and related respiratory insufficiency were the main reasons for intubation. In the subgroup of tracheotomized patients, immediate decannulation after completed respiratory weaning was possible in 14 (40%) patients. The severity of dysphagia, in particular pharyngolaryngeal hypesthesia, was related to the length of cannulation. DISCUSSION Respiratory muscle weakness is the main reason for intubation, whereas neurogenic dysphagia is the main risk factor for persisting cannulation. Dysphagia after weaning is most frequently characterized by severe laryngeal sensory deficit. Muscle Nerve 59:194-200, 2019.

This review gives an outline of the current state of knowledge on swallowing-related neurophysiology, neuroplasticity mechanisms following dysphagic stroke and neuromodulatory treatment approaches to enhance recovery processes for faster and better rehabilitation of post-stroke dysphagia. A widely distributed network including bilateral cortical and subcortical as well as medullary structures is involved in the act of swallowing. Distinct brain areas are related to specific aspects of swallowing control. Stroke lesions in these areas may lead to post-stroke dysphagia. Compensatory reorganization takes place mainly in the contralesional hemisphere making this a promising target of central neuromodulatory treatment approaches. Also, the peripheral pharyngeal electrical stimulation has shown to promote functional neuronal reorganization for clinical improvement of swallowing function. With promising results from recent studies—at least in distinct stroke patient collectives—central and peripheral neuromodulatory interventions seem to be at the threshold to implementation in clinical practice.

Background Removal of a tracheostomy tube in critically ill neurologic patients is a critical issue during intensive care treatment, particularly due to severe dysphagia and insufficient airway protection. The “Standardized Endoscopic Evaluation for Tracheostomy Decannulation in Critically Ill Neurologic Patients” (SESETD) is an objective measure of readiness for decannulation. This protocol includes the stepwise evaluation of secretion management, spontaneous swallowing, and laryngeal sensitivity during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). Here, we first evaluated safety and secondly effectiveness of the protocol and sought to identify predictors of decannulation success and decannulation failure. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted in the neurological intensive care unit at Münster University Hospital, Germany between January 2013 and December 2017. Three hundred and seventy-seven tracheostomized patients with an acute neurologic disease completely weaned from mechanical ventilation were included, all of whom were examined by FEES within 72 h from end of mechanical ventilation. Using regression analysis, predictors of successful decannulation, as well as decannulation failure were investigated. Results Two hundred and twenty-seven patients (60.2%) could be decannulated during their stay according to the protocol, 59 of whom within 24 h from the initial FEES after completed weaning. 3.5% of patients had to be recannulated due to severe dysphagia or related complications. Prolonged mechanical ventilation showed to be a significant predictor of decannulation failure. Lower age was identified to be a significant predictor of early decannulation after end of weaning. Transforming the binary SESETD into a 4-point scale helped predicting decannulation success in patients not immediately ready for decannulation after the end of respiratory weaning (optimal cutoff ≥1; sensitivity: 64%, specifity: 66%). Conclusions The SESETD showed to be a safe and efficient tool to evaluate readiness for decannulation in our patient collective of critically ill neurologic patients.

Importance:. Dysphagia is a common complication of critical illness, and many known risk factors are also present in critically ill coronavirus disease 2019 victims. Objectives:. To investigate dysphagia in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019. Design, Setting, and Participants:. In this case series, we report results of dedicated evaluation of swallowing function in six consecutive, tracheotomized coronavirus disease 2019 patients after they had survived acute respiratory distress syndrome and were weaned from the respirator. Main Outcomes and Measures:. Dysphagia was assessed with flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing. Results:. Three patients suffered from severe dysphagia and airway compromise precluding decannulation, whereas in the other, three swallowing was less critically impaired, and the tracheal cannula could be removed. Four patients presented with additional laryngeal dysfunctions not typically seen in acute respiratory distress syndrome survivors. Conclusion and Relevance:. Dysphagia with impaired airway protection is a key feature in coronavirus disease 2019 acute respiratory distress syndrome survivors. Apart from critical illness polyneuropathy, coronavirus disease 2019–related involvement of the peripheral and central nervous system may contribute to swallowing impairment and laryngeal dysfunction.

Objective:Introduction and validation of a phenotypic classification of neurogenic dysphagia based on flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES).Methods:A systematic literature review was conducted, searching MEDLINE from inception to 05/2020 for FEES findings in neurological diseases of interest. Based on a retrospective analysis of FEES-videos in neurological diseases and considering the results from the review, a classification of neurogenic dysphagia was developed distinguishing different phenotypes. The classification was validated using 1012 randomly selected FEES-videos of patients with various neurological disorders. Chi-square-tests were used to compare the distribution of dysphagia phenotypes between the underlying neurological disorders.Results:159 articles were identified of which 59 were included in the qualitative synthesis. Seven dysphagia phenotypes were identified: (1) “Premature bolus spillage” and (2) “delayed swallowing reflex” occurred mainly in stroke patients, (3) “predominance of residue in the valleculae” was most common in Parkinson's disease, (4) “predominance of residue in the piriform sinus” occurred only in myositis, motoneuron disease and brainstem stroke patients, (5) “pharyngolaryngeal movement disorder” was found in atypical Parkinsonian syndromes and stroke patients, (6) “fatigable swallowing weakness” was common in patients with myasthenia gravis, and (7) “complex disorder” with a heterogeneous dysphagia pattern was the leading mechanism in amyotrophic later sclerosis. The interrater reliability showed a strong agreement (kappa = 0.84).Conclusion:Neurogenic dysphagia is not a mere symptom, but a multi-etiological syndrome with different phenotypic patterns depending on the underlying disease. Dysphagia phenotypes can facilitate differential diagnosis in patients with dysphagia of unclear etiology.

BACKGROUND Dysphagia frequently occurs in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and is associated with severe complications. However, the underlying pathology is poorly understood at present. This study investigated the effect of cognitive and motor dual-task interference on oropharyngeal swallowing in PD. METHODS Thirty PD patients (23 men, mean age 65.90 ± 9.32 years, mean Hoehn and Yahr stage 2.62 ± 0.81, mean UPDRS 18.00 ± 7.18) were examined using flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). FEES was performed during three paradigms: at baseline without interference, during a cognitive dual-task, and during a motor dual-task. Oropharyngeal swallowing function was rated using a score which was validated to detect changes in PD related dysphagia. The three paradigms were compared using a two-way-repetitive-measures-ANOVA and a post-hoc-analysis. RESULTS Mean swallowing score in baseline FEES was 10.67 ± 5.89. It significantly increased (worsened) to 15.97 ± 7.62 (p

Background Removal of a tracheostomy tube in critically ill neurologic patients is a difficult issue, particularly due to the high incidence of oropharyngeal dysphagia. For an objective evaluation of decannulation readiness the “Standardized Endoscopic Swallowing Evaluation for Tracheostomy Decannulation in Critically Ill Neurologic Patients” (SESETD) – a stepwise evaluation of ‘secretion management’, ‘spontaneous swallows’ and ‘laryngeal sensibility/cough’ – has been introduced. With the recent study detailed data on inter-rater and test-retest reliability are presented. Methods To obtain inter-rater reliability levels both in a group of raters with at least 5 years of experience (‘experts’) and in a group of raters with no or only minor experience using the SESETD (‘non-experts’), for each single item of the protocol and the sum score α-, respectively κ-levels were determined. The ‘experts’ assessed the same videos after a four-week interval to determine test-retest reliability. Ten videos from tracheostomized neurological patients completely weaned from mechanical ventilation were assessed independently by six ‘experts’. 27 ‘non-experts’ applied the SESETD on 5 videos from the same patient population after introduction to the protocol in a one-hour workshop. Results For the items ‘secretion management’ and ‘spontaneous swallows’ α-levels were identified at > 0.800 both in the group of ‘experts’ and ‘non-experts’. With regard to the item ‘laryngeal sensibility/cough’ in both groups, the α-level was ≥0.667. With κ-levels of 1.0 for ‘secretion management’, 0.93 for ‘spontaneous swallows’ and 0.76 for ‘laryngeal sensibility/cough’ test-retest reliability showed at least substantial agreement for each item. Intraclass correlation coefficient for the sum score was excellent in both groups (α ≥ 0.90). Conclusions The SESETD demonstrates good to excellent agreement for each single item included as well as the sum score in experienced and unexperienced raters supporting its usefulness for implementation in daily clinical routine and as an outcome measure for clinical trials.

The pathophysiology of dysphagia in Parkinson's disease (PD) is heterogeneous and poorly understood at present. This study investigated the phenotypes, prevalence and pathophysiology of oropharyngeal freezing (OPF) in PD and its relation to dysphagia.In a prospective study, 50 PD patients were systematically screened for OPF using flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). In addition, FEES-videos of 50 patients with post-stroke dysphagia and 50 healthy subjects were retrospectively evaluated as control groups. In PD patients freezing was assessed with the "freezing of gait (FoG) questionnaire" and the relationship between OPF and FoG was analyzed.In analogy to FoG, signs for OPF presented as either temporarily missing or delayed swallowing reflex in combination with freezing associated movement abnormalities e.g. festination, trembling, or akinesia. Seventeen PD patients (34%) showed considerable signs for OPF (15 cases of festination, 3 cases of trembling, 3 cases of akinesia). In the patients with post-stroke dysphagia, OPF was detected in 2 patients (4%). The healthy subjects showed no signs for OPF. The distribution of OPF differed significantly between the investigated groups (p 0.01). PD patients with signs for OPF scored significantly higher in the FoG-questionnaire (12.69 ± 6.37) compared to patients without OPF (7.29 ± 5.17; p 0.01).Swallowing in PD patients can be impaired by OPF. We suggest that OPF and FoG share common pathophysiologic mechanisms based on their association and similar semiologies.

Background Esophageal dysfunction is a frequent phenomenon in Parkinson's disease during all disease stages, but data about esophageal involvement in atypical parkinsonian syndromes as well as possible differences between alpha-synucleinopathies and tauopathies, including causative links to the origin of the dysfunction, are lacking so far. Objective To describe esophageal alternation patterns in different parkinsonian syndromes and to look for differences supporting the hypothesis of alpha-synuclein aggregation being linked to gastrointestinal impairment in parkinsonian syndromes. Methods We performed an analysis and comparison of esophageal high-resolution manometry examination parameters in n = 10 patients with Parkinson's disease, n = 10 patients with multiple system atrophy (both alpha-synucleinopathies), n = 10 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (tauopathy), and n = 10 age-matched controls. Additionally, pharyngeal dysphagia was evaluated by an endoscopic examination of swallowing in all three patient groups. Results Statistically significant lower values for esophageal peristalsis and distal contractile integral were found for both groups of alpha-synucleinopathies (Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy) in comparison to the patients with tauopathy (progressive supranuclear palsy group), as well as the age-matched controls, where pathological pharyngeal findings were similar in all patient groups. Conclusions Subtle esophageal motility alterations in parkinsonian syndromes seem to be limited to alpha-synucleinopathies, but are not measurable in tauopathies, indicating a causative connection between pathological alpha-synuclein aggregation in gastrointestinal tissues and esophageal involvement.

OBJECTIVE We evaluated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is able to enhance dysphagia rehabilitation following stroke. Besides relating clinical effects with neuroplastic changes in cortical swallowing processing, we aimed to identify factors influencing treatment success. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized study, 60 acute dysphagic stroke patients received contralesional anodal (1mA, 20 minutes) or sham tDCS on 4 consecutive days. Swallowing function was thoroughly assessed before and after the intervention using the validated Fiberoptic Endoscopic Dysphagia Severity Scale (FEDSS) and clinical assessment. In 10 patients, swallowing-related brain activation was recorded applying magnetoencephalography before and after the intervention. Voxel-based statistical lesion pattern analysis was also performed. RESULTS Study groups did not differ according to demographic data, stroke characteristics, or baseline dysphagia severity. Patients treated with tDCS showed greater improvement in FEDSS than the sham group (1.3 vs 0.4 points, mean difference = 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.4-1.4, p

Background/Aims: Performing neurophysiological and functional imaging studies in severely affected patients to investigate novel neurostimulation techniques for the treatment of neurogenic dysphagia is difficult. Therefore, basic research needs to be conducted in healthy subjects. Swallowing is a motor function highly dependent on sensory afferent input. Here we propose a virtual peripheral sensory lesion model to mimic pharyngeal sensory impairment, which is known as a major contributor to dysphagia in neurological disease. Methods: In this randomized crossover study on 11 healthy volunteers, cortical activation during pneumatic pharyngeal stimulation was measured applying magnetoencephalography in two separate sessions, with and without pharyngeal surface anesthesia. Results: Stimulation evoked bilateral event-related desynchronization (ERD) mainly in the caudolateral pericentral cortex. In comparison to the no-anesthesia condition, topical anesthesia led to a reduction of ERD in beta (13-30 Hz) and low gamma (30-60 Hz) frequency ranges (p

Background: Dysphagia is one of the most dangerous symptoms of acute stroke. Various screening tools have been suggested for the early detection of this condition. In spite of conflicting results, measurement of oxygen saturation (SpO2) during clinical swallowing assessment is still recommended by different national guidelines as a screening tool with a decline in SpO2 ≥2% usually being regarded as a marker of aspiration. This paper assesses the sensitivity of SpO2 measurements for the evaluation of aspiration risk in acute stroke patients. Methods: Fifty acute stroke patients with moderate to severe dysphagia were included in this study. In all patients, fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) was performed according to a standardised protocol. Blinded to the results of FEES, SpO2 was monitored simultaneously. The degree of desaturation during/after swallows with aspiration was compared to the degree of desaturation during/after swallows without aspiration in a swallow-to-swallow analysis of each patient. To minimise potential confounders, every patient served as their control. Results: In each subject, a swallow with and a swallow without aspiration were analysed. Overall, aspiration seen in FEES was related to a minor decline in SpO2 (mean SpO2 without aspiration 95.54 ± 2.7% vs. mean SpO2 with aspiration 95.28 ± 2.7%). However, a significant desaturation ≥2% occurred only in 5 patients during/after aspiration. There was no correlation between aspiration/dysphagia severity or the amount of aspirated material and SpO2 levels. Conclusions: According to this study, measurement of oxygen desaturation is not a suitable screening tool for the detection of aspiration in stroke patients.

Background/Aims: Substance P (SP) is a neuropeptide, likely acting as a neurotransmitter in the pharyngeal mucosa enhancing the swallow and cough reflex. Pharyngeal Electrical Stimulation (PES) induces a temporary increase of salivary SP levels in healthy adults. Previous evidence suggests that post-stroke dysphagia is related to reduced SP levels. Here, we investigated the effects of PES on SP levels in severely dysphagic stroke patients and a possible link between increase of SP and treatment success. Methods: 23 tracheotomized stroke patients who could not be decannulated due to severe and persisting dysphagia according to endoscopic evaluation received PES for 10 minutes a day over three consecutive days in this prospective single-center study. If initial treatment failed, repetitive stimulation cycles were provided. Saliva samples were collected before and directly after each PES. Results: 61% of participants were decannulated after the first treatment cycle. Increase of SP levels post-stimulation was closely related to treatment success, i.e. decannulation with 79% of successfully treated patients showing increase of SP, whereas 89% of unsuccessfully treated patients had stable or decreased SP levels. Applying logistic regression analysis, increase of SP level remained the only independent predictor of decannulation after PES. All 3 repetitively treated patients showed increased SP levels when progressing from the 1 st to the 2 nd cycle, two of whom were decannulated hereafter. Conclusions: The physiological mechanism of PES may consist in restoration of sensory feedback, which is known to be crucial for the execution of a safe swallow. SP possibly acts as a biomarker for indicating response to PES.

Background and Purpose- Predicting safe extubation represents a clinical challenge in acute stroke patients. Classical respiratory weaning criteria have not proven reliable. Concerning the paramount relevance of postextubation dysphagia in this population, criteria related to airway safety seem to perform better, but diagnostic standards are lacking. We compare clinical and instrumental swallowing examination tools to assess extubation readiness and propose a simple Determine Extubation Failure in Severe Stroke score for decision making. Methods- Data of 133 orally intubated acute stroke patients were prospectively collected in this observational study. Classical extubation criteria, a modified semiquantitative airway score, and an oral motor function score were assessed before extubation. A 3-ounce water swallow test and validated 6-point fiberoptic endoscopic dysphagia severity scoring were performed thereafter. Association of demographic and clinical parameters with extubation failure (EF) was investigated. Independent predictors of EF were translated into a point scoring system. Ideal cutoff values were determined by receiver operator characteristics analyses. Results- Patients with EF (24.1% after 24±43 hours) performed worse in all swallowing assessments (P0.001). Fiberoptic endoscopic dysphagia severity scoring was the only independent predictor of EF (adjusted odds ratio, 4.2; P0.007) with optimal cutoff ≥5 (sensitivity 84.6% and specificity 76.5%). Restricting regression analysis to parameters collected before extubation, a 4-item Determine Extubation Failure in Severe Stroke score (duration of ventilation, the examination of oral motor function, infratentorial lesion, and stroke severity) was derived. The score demonstrated excellent discrimination (area under the curve 0.89; 95% CI, 0.83-0.95) and calibration (Nagelkerkes R

BACKGROUND Intact pharyngeal sensation is essential for a physiological swallowing process, and conversely, pharyngeal hypesthesia can cause dysphagia. This study introduces and validates a diagnostic test to quantify pharyngeal hypesthesia. METHODS A total of 20 healthy volunteers were included in a prospective study. Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and a sensory test were performed both before and after pharyngeal local anesthesia. To test pharyngeal sensation, a small tube was positioned transnasally in the upper third of the oropharynx with contact to the lateral pharyngeal wall. Increasing volumes of blue-dyed water were injected through the tube, and the latency of swallowing response (LSR) was determined by two independent raters from the endoscopic video recording. Three trials were performed for each administered volume starting with 0.1 mL and increased by 0.1 mL up to 0.5 mL. KEY RESULTS The average LSR without anesthesia was 2.24 ± 0.80 s at 0.1 mL, 1.79 ± 0.84 s at 0.2 mL, 1.29 ± 0.62 s at 0.3 mL, 1.17 ± 0.41 s at 0.4 mL, and 1.19 ± 0.52 s at 0.5 mL. With anesthesia applied, the average LSR was 2.65 ± 0.62 s at 0.1 mL, 2.64 ± 0.49 s at 0.2 mL, 2.44 ± 0.65 s at 0.3 mL, 2.10 ± 0.80 s at 0.4 mL, and 2.18 ± 0.85 s at 0.5 mL. LSR was significantly longer following anesthesia at 0.2 mL (t = -3.82; P = .001), 0.3 mL (t = -4.65; P

Introduction: Although patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) often suffer from oropharyngeal dysphagia, knowledge about the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms is limited. Substance P (SP) is a localization-independent neurotransmitter of the entire nervous system. Reduced levels of SP were found in saliva of patients with impaired cough reflex and in advanced stages of PD. The aim of the study was to investigate SP in PD patients in order to gain further insights into the underlying pathophysiology of PD-related dysphagia and to evaluate the potential of SP as a biomarker for early dysphagia. Methods: Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) was used to objectively assess pharyngeal swallowing function. From a cohort of 105 consecutive PD patients 20 subjects were recruited: in 10 of them pharyngeal dysphagia was excluded by FEES, the other 10 subjects showed signs of early pharyngeal dysphagia defined as hypopharyngeal sensory deficit with mild to moderate vallecular residues after swallowing solid consistencies. Analysis of the Substance P level in saliva of the 20 included PD patients was performed in the clinical on state condition by ELISA-type immunoassay. Significant differences were calculated by using the Mann-Whitney test. Results: Twenty PD patients with a mean age of 69.5 ± 12.5 years (8 female) were included in the study. No significant differences were found regarding gender, age, UPDRS III, Hoehn and Yahr stage, disease duration, and Levodopa equivalent dose between the non-dysphagic and dysphagic subjects. Dysphagia was mainly characterized by unrecognized residues in the valleculae without any aspiration risk for all of the tested consistencies in FEES and was thereby scored as mild in all cases. Saliva SP concentrations were significantly lower in PD patients with pharyngeal dysphagia compared to those with a normal pharyngeal swallowing function (9,644 vs. 17,591 pg/mL; p = 0.001). Conclusion: Reduced saliva SP concentrations may predict early pharyngeal swallowing dysfunction in PD patients. This finding supports the hypothesis that an impaired SP mediated neurotransmission has a significant impact for the development of dysphagia in PD patients. Larger studies are needed to confirm SP as a clinical useful biomarker for early detection of PD-related dysphagia.