Progression of swallowing dysfunction and associated complications of dysphagia in a cohort of patients with serial videofluoroscopic swallow examinations

Author(s):  
R Hanna ◽  
D R Randall

Abstract Objective Dysphagia is a common symptom with associated complications ranging from mild discomfort to life-threatening pulmonary compromise. Videofluoroscopic swallow is the ‘gold standard’ evaluation for oropharyngeal dysphagia, but little is known about how patients’ performance changes over time. Method This was a retrospective cohort study evaluating dysphagia patients’ clinical course by serial videofluoroscopic swallow study. Univariate analysis followed by multivariate analysis were used to identify correlations between pneumonia outcomes, diet allocation, aetiology and comorbidities. Results This study identified 104 patients (53 per cent male) stratified into risk groups by penetration-aspiration scale scores. Mean penetration-aspiration scale worsened over time (p < 0.05), but development of pneumonia was not associated with worsened penetration-aspiration scale score over time (p = 0.57) or severity of dysphagia (p = 0.88). Conclusion Our dataset identified a large cohort of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia and demonstrated mean penetration-aspiration scale tendency to worsen. Identifying prognostic factors associated with worsening radiological findings and applying this to patients at risk of clinical swallowing difficulty is needed.

2017 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
pp. 350-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
N N Venkatesan ◽  
C M Johnson ◽  
M T Siddiqui ◽  
D J Cates ◽  
M A Kuhn ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectives:To validate the ovine model of profound oropharyngeal dysphagia and compare swallowing outcomes of laryngotracheal separation with those of total laryngectomy.Methods:Under real-time fluoroscopy, swallowing trials were conducted using the head and neck of two Dorper cross ewes and one human cadaver, secured in lateral fluoroscopic orientation. Barium trials were administered at baseline, pre- and post-laryngohyoid suspension, following laryngotracheal separation, and following laryngectomy in the ovine model.Results:Mean pre-intervention Penetration Aspiration Scale and National Institutes of Health Swallow Safety Scale scores were 8 ± 0 and 6 ± 0 respectively in sheep and human cadavers, with 100 per cent intra- and inter-species reproducibility. These scores improved to 1 ± 0 and 2 ± 0 post-laryngohyoid suspension (p < 0.01). Aerodigestive tract residue was 18.6 ± 2.4 ml at baseline, 15.4 ± 3.8 ml after laryngotracheal separation and 3.0 ± 0.7 ml after total laryngectomy (p < 0.001).Conclusion:The ovine model displayed perfect intra- and inter- species reliability for the Penetration Aspiration Scale and Swallow Safety Scale. Less aerodigestive tract residue after narrow-field laryngectomy suggests that swallowing outcomes after total laryngectomy are superior to those after laryngotracheal separation.


Author(s):  
Kendrea L. (Focht) Garand ◽  
Debra M. Suiter ◽  
Stephanie Reyes ◽  
Justine Dallal York ◽  
I-Hweii Amy Chen

Purpose Dysphagia is a common symptom experienced by patients with motor neuron disease (MND). The Yale Swallow Protocol (YSP) is a validated screening instrument for identifying patients at risk for aspiration. The purpose of this exploratory cross-sectional, multicenter study was to investigate how the YSP results in identifying aspiration risk in patients with MND in comparison with aspiration observed during a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS). Method Participants referred for VFSS as part of clinical management were recruited from four specialized MND clinics. All participants were administered the YSP immediately prior to the VFSS by a speech-language pathologist, with results recorded as pass or fail. Aspiration on VFSS was determined using the Penetration–Aspiration Scale (scores 6–8). A 2 × 2 contingency table was constructed to compare results of YSP with those on VFSS. Results Thirty-one patients with MND (13 males, 18 females; M age = 64 ± 12 years) referred for VFSS participated in this study. Of the 22 patients who failed the YSP, interrupted drinking was the most frequent reason (65%). Compared to the VFSS, the YSP yielded a sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 33%, positive predictive value of 36%, and negative predictive value of 78%. Conclusions The YSP is a simple tool and easy to utilize and has a high sensitivity in identifying aspiration risk in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A future investigation with a larger sample size is needed to better investigate the utility of YSP as a screening tool for this population.


2020 ◽  
Vol 09 (04) ◽  
pp. 191-194
Author(s):  
Ravi Chandran ◽  
Siva Prasad Kuruva ◽  
Rachana Chennamaneni ◽  
Stalin Bala ◽  
Meher Lakshmi Konatam ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Ewing sarcoma (ES) is more common in children and relatively rare in adults. Adult ES has poor prognosis than children. Treatment approaches for adults have been extrapolated from pediatric experience. Data on adult ES are very few because of its rarity in adults. The present study was done to analyze the clinical profile and outcome of adult ES. Aims The aim was to study the clinical and pathological treatment and outcomes in adult ES. Subjects and Methods Between 2010 and 2017, a total of 73 ES patients with age more than 18 years were retrospectively analyzed. Survival analysis was done by plotting Kaplan–Meier curves. Results A total of 73 patients were diagnosed with ES during 2010 to 2017. Among them, 43 (58.9%) had localized disease with a median age of 24.5 years. Males were 44 (60.3%) and females were 29 (39.7). Pain (75.3%) was the most common symptom at presentation. Nine patients had incomplete details and were excluded from the analysis. Among 21 (28.8%) patients, the lung (61.9%) was the most common site of metastasis followed by the bone, bone marrow, and brain. The median number of chemotherapy cycles in the localized disease was 14 (range 1–17), and in metastatic disease, it was 4 (range 1–7). Univariate analysis was done with respect to age (< 25 vs. ≥25), gender, elevated or normal serum lactate dehydrogenase level, tumor size (< 8 cm versus ≥8 cm), site (axial versus extremity), and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) given or not. NACT had a significant impact on overall survival (OS) and the rest had no effect. At a median follow-up of 40 months, the 3-year OS in localized disease was 87.4%. In metastatic disease, the median OS was 13 months with 3-year OS of 26%. Conclusions Outcomes with multimodality therapy in adult ES patients with localized disease are comparable to that of a pediatric cohort. However, metastatic disease has poor survival.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2344
Author(s):  
Franca Genest ◽  
Dominik Rak ◽  
Elisa Bätz ◽  
Kerstin Ott ◽  
Lothar Seefried

Sarcopenia and malnutrition are important determinants of increased fracture risk in osteoporosis. SARC-F and MNA-SF are well-established questionnaires for identifying patients at risk for these conditions. We sought to evaluate the feasibility and potential added benefit of such assessments as well as the actual prevalence of these conditions in osteoporosis patients. We conducted a cross-sectional, single-center study in female osteoporosis patients ≥ 65 years (SaNSiBaR-study). Results of the sarcopenia (SARC-F) and malnutrition (MNA-SF) screening questionnaires were matched with a functional assessment for sarcopenia and data from patients’ medical records. Out of 107 patients included in the analysis, a risk for sarcopenia (SARC-F ≥ 4 points) and a risk for malnutrition (MNA-SF ≤ 11 points) was found in 33 (30.8%) and 38 (35.5%) patients, respectively. Diagnostic overlap with coincident indicative findings in both questionnaires was observed in 17 patients (16%). As compared to the respective not-at-risk groups, the mean short physical performance battery (SPPB) score was significantly reduced in both patients at risk for sarcopenia (7.0 vs. 10.9 points, p < 0.001) and patients at risk for malnutrition (8.7 vs. 10.5 points, p = 0.005). Still, confirmed sarcopenia according to EWGSOP2 criteria was present in only 6 (6%) of all 107 patients, with only 3 of them having an indicative SARC-F score. Bone mineral density was not significantly different in any of the at-risk groups at any site. In summary, applying SARC-F and MNA-SF in osteoporosis patients appears to be a complementary approach to identify individuals with functional deficits.


2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110063
Author(s):  
Ann L. Coker ◽  
Heather M. Bush ◽  
Zhengyan Huang ◽  
Candace J. Brancato ◽  
Emily R. Clear ◽  
...  

Bystander interventions are recognized as “promising” programming to reduce sexual violence. Gaps in current evaluations include limited follow-up post-training (beyond 24 months) and knowledge of additional bystander training during follow-up. In this prospective cohort study, nested in a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT), three cohorts of high school (HS) seniors were recruited (Fall 2013-2015) and followed through Spring 2018 ( n = 1,831). Training was based on their school cluster RCT assignment and receipt of additional Green Dot (GD) training after HS. Training was hypothesized to be associated with lower scores indicating less acceptance of violence or sexism. Sixty percent reported GD training after HS (68.7% of 986 in intervention and 50% of 845 in control conditions). No significant differences ( p < .05) were observed by GD training for four of the five violence acceptance or sexism attitudinal measures at recruitment or final surveys. For “ambivalent sexism” alone was there a significant reduction in scale scores over time in the intervention versus control condition. Additional GD training after the RCT significantly reduced neither violence acceptance nor sexism scores over time. GD training does not appear to have a consistent longer-term impact on reducing violence acceptance and sexism.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 671
Author(s):  
Margherita Rimini ◽  
Pierfrancesco Franco ◽  
Berardino De Bari ◽  
Maria Giulia Zampino ◽  
Stefano Vagge ◽  
...  

Anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare tumor, and bio-humoral predictors of response to chemo-radiation (CT-RT) are lacking. We developed a prognostic score system based on laboratory inflammation parameters. We investigated the correlation between baseline clinical and laboratory variables and disease-free (DFS) and overall (OS) survival in anal SCC patients treated with CT-RT in five institutions. The bio-humoral parameters of significance were included in a new scoring system, which was tested with other significant variables in a Cox’s proportional hazard model. A total of 308 patients was included. We devised a prognostic model by combining baseline hemoglobin level, SII, and eosinophil count: the Hemo-Eosinophils Inflammation (HEI) Index. We stratified patients according to the HEI index into low- and high-risk groups. Median DFS for low-risk patients was not reached, and it was found to be 79.5 months for high-risk cases (Hazard Ratio 3.22; 95% CI: 2.04–5.10; p < 0.0001). Following adjustment for clinical covariates found significant at univariate analysis, multivariate analysis confirmed the HEI index as an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS. The HEI index was shown to be a prognostic parameter for DFS and OS in anal cancer patients treated with CT-RT. An external validation of the HEI index is mandatory for its use in clinical practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leen Jamel Doya ◽  
Naya Talal Hassan ◽  
Fareeda Wasfy Bijow ◽  
Hanin Ahmed Mansour ◽  
Sawsan Ahmad ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Vomiting is a common symptom of a multitude of diseases in children. It is usually part of benign illness and can occur at any age. Recurrent vomiting can be a symptom of life-threatening medical or surgical emergencies. It can be rarely caused by an extraluminal pyloric duplication cyst. Early recognition is essential for preventing delays in management and potential complications. Here we report a case of an extraluminal pyloric duplication presenting as progressive gastric outlet obstruction cyst in a 14-month-old Syrian boy. The diagnosis was made through abdominal ultrasound, gastrointestinal endoscopy and abdominal computed tomography scan.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
John R Power ◽  
Joachim Alexandre ◽  
Arrush Choudhary ◽  
benay ozbay ◽  
Nicolas L Palaskas ◽  
...  

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-myocarditis is a new syndrome with estimated 50% mortality. Similar to acute cellular rejection (ACR), it is pathologically characterized by lymphocytic infiltration. We aimed to characterize the electrocardiograph features of ICI-myocarditis, compare them to ACR, and evaluate their association with adverse outcome. Methods: Presenting ECG of 130 cases of ICI-myocarditis were collected from a multicenter network spanning 12 countries and compared to 50 cases of ACR. ECG were quantified and interpreted by two blinded cardiologists. 53 patients with ICI-myocarditis had baseline ECG available for comparison via paired univariate analysis. Cox models correcting for age and sex determined association with a composite outcome of life-threatening arrhythmia or myocarditis-related death. Results: ICI-myocarditis patients had average age of 68(58-76), were 61.2% male, and 64.8% had prior cardiovascular disease. QRS prolongation (26% vs 13%, p=0.008), conduction disorders (67% vs 44%, p=0.007) such as left bundle branch block (LBBB) (18% vs 4% p=0.008), ST/T wave changes (50% vs 24%, p=0.004), and PVCs (16% vs 6%, p=0.020) were more prevalent on presenting ECG compared to baseline. ICI-myocarditis showed more PVCs (16% vs 2%, p=0.011) and less ST/T wave changes (41% vs 66%, p=0.002) when compared to ACR. On multivariate analysis, the combined outcome of life-threatening arrhythmia or myocarditis-related death was associated with pathological Q waves (HR=3.60 (1.78-7.27) p<0.001), QRS prolongation (HR=3.35 [1.00-11.21] p=0.05), LBBB (HR=2.24 [1.13-4.45] p=0.021), and supraventricular arrhythmia (HR=2.03 [1.05-3.91] p=0.035) on presenting EKG. Conclusions: ICI-myocarditis manifests as new conduction delays, ST/T-wave changes, and PVCs. QRS prolongation, LBBB, pathological Q waves, and supraventricular arrhythmias were associated with subsequent adverse outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. P. Chmiel ◽  
M. Azor ◽  
F. Borca ◽  
M. J. Boniface ◽  
D. K. Burns ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTShort-term reattendances to emergency departments are a key quality of care indicator. Identifying patients at increased risk of early reattendance can help reduce the number of patients with missed or undertreated illness or injury, and could support appropriate discharges with focused interventions. In this manuscript we present a retrospective, single-centre study where we create and evaluate a machine-learnt classifier trained to identify patients at risk of reattendance within 72 hours of discharge from an emergency department. On a patient hold-out test set, our highest performing classifier obtained an AUROC of 0.748 and an average precision of 0.250; demonstrating that machine-learning algorithms can be used to classify patients, with moderate performance, into low and high-risk groups for reattendance. In parallel to our predictive model we train an explanation model, capable of explaining predictions at an attendance level, which can be used to help inform the design of interventional strategies.


2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (8) ◽  
pp. 671-674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zorana Djakovic ◽  
Sonja Vesic ◽  
Maja Tomovic ◽  
Jelena Vukovic

Background. Dysphagia can be a serious problem in patients with inflammatory myopathies. It may be associated with nutritional deficit, aspiration pneumonia, and poor prognosis. Case report. We presented a 60-year-old male, suffering from difficulty in swallowing, pain and weaknes in the proximal parts of his extremities, and skin manifestation. Laboratory findings showed increased creatine kinase and aldolase. Antinuclear antibodies to HEP-2 subtrate revealed titer of 1:40. Electromyoneurography demonstrated evidence of a proximal myopathy. A muscle biopsy revealed myositis. The baruim swallow test was remarkable for regurgitation, and nasal emerging of barium. Nuclear magnetic resonance images of cranium was normal. Tumor markers CEA, and Ca 19-9 were increased. A dose of 1 mg daily prednisolone was administered and percutaneous enteral feeding was performed. Two months later, the patient developed febrile state, aspiration pneumonia, and died due to respiratory failure. Conclusion. In cases of dermatomyositis with the serious dysphagia, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy should be performed as soon as possible. Owerall survival rate is low, even with an adequate therapy administration. Inflammatory myopathies should be considered in any patient with oropharyngeal dysphagia.


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