Swallowing markers in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

This article was posted on August 17. I have been busy engaged in publishing my latest book, so I did't have a chance to review it before today. Those of us living with Kennedy's Disease often experience problems with swallowing and choking. This article explains the research findings on KD patients and swallowing.You can read the entire article by clicking on the header below.


Swallowing markers in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

Swallowing markers in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.

Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2017 Aug;4(8):534-543

Authors: Banno H, Katsuno M, Suzuki K, Tanaka S, Suga N, Hashizume A, Mano T, Araki A, Watanabe H, Fujimoto Y, Yamamoto M, Sobue G

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: We examined the characteristics of dysphagia in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, a hereditary neuromuscular disease causing weakness of limb, facial, and oropharyngeal muscles via a videofluoroscopic swallowing study, and investigated the plausibility of using these outcome measures for quantitative analysis.

METHODS: A videofluoroscopic swallowing study was performed on 111 consecutive patients with genetically confirmed spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy and 53 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Swallowing of 3-mL liquid barium was analyzed by the Logemann’s Videofluorographic Examination of Swallowing worksheet.

RESULTS: Of more than 40 radiographic findings, the most pertinent abnormal findings in patients with spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, included vallecular residue after swallow (residue just behind the tongue base), nasal penetration, and insufficient tongue movement (P < 0.001 for each) compared with healthy controls. Quantitative analyses showed that pharyngeal residue after initial swallowing, oral residue after initial swallowing, multiple swallowing sessions, and the penetration-aspiration scale were significantly worse in these patients (P ≤ 0.005 for each) than in controls. ...

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There is another article on a 2014 study on tongue pressure in patients with KD. It can be found here:

Tongue pressure as a novel biomarker of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.

Image from YouTube video