Comparative Analysis of Spontaneous Swallowing Sounds Between the Young and the Elderly: An Indicator of Aging Dysphagia

The study aims at comparatively analyzing the characteristics of the swallowing sound of the young and the elderly. A total of 100 eligible human subjects were divided into two groups: A young group (n = 50, age 19–30 years, sex ratio 1:1) and an elderly group (n = 50, 60–85 years, sex ratio 1:1). The neck circumference (at the thyroid cartilage level) and the body mass index (BMI) of the subjects were measured. The spontaneous swallowing sound within 20 min was recorded and analyzed using Raven Pro 1.5.0. The parameters included were swallows per minute (SPM), swallowing sound duration (SSD), energy delivered by one swallowing sound (E), time of consuming half E(E0.5t), and percentage of time spent on half-energy consumption for a single swallowing sound (E0.5Δt). Statistical analysis performed using R-3.4.0. NC showed no difference between the two groups (34.31 ± 3.45 cm versus 33.95 ± 3.00 cm, P= 0.5789). Compared to the young group, the elderly group showed a higher BMI, lesser SPM, longer SSD, more Es in each swallow, longer E0.5t, and identical E0.5Δt . The elderly showed reduced SPM and prolonged SSD.

Effects of Visuoauditory Stimuli on the Acoustic Features of Swallowing in the Elderly

Objective: To investigate the effect of audiovisual stimulation on swallowing sounds in the elderly. Method: Mirror therapy (MT) videos were prepared and divided into AMs, LMs, AFs, and LFs. Sixty videos were randomly selected from AMs, LMs, AFs, and LFs. The selected videos were divided into two sections (10 min per section). The control videos were extracted from the film "Le Peuple Migrateur." Finally, the TD (ms), TE (dB), DHE (ms), DHE/TD (%), PI (dB), DPI (ms), FPI (Hz), and PF (Hz) were analyzed. Result: TD of AS was significantly shorter than that of AS. Lower TE and PI were observed in AS compared to those observed in visual and auditory stimuli (VAS). DHE/TD and DPI were longer in AS relative to VAS. In addition, a lower FPI was observed in AS than in VAS. Conclusion: VAS can significantly improve swallowing frequencies, speed up swallowing movements and increase swallowing functional reserve in the elderly. In addition, the decreased swallowing efficacy under auditory stimuli could be reversed by visual stimuli.

Classifying Dysphagic Swallowing Sounds with Support Vector Machines

Swallowing sounds from cervical auscultation include information related to the swallowing function. Several studies have been conducted on the screening tests of dysphagia. The literature shows a significant difference between the characteristics of swallowing sounds obtained from different subjects (e.g., healthy and dysphagic subjects; young and old adults). These studies demonstrate the usefulness of swallowing sounds during dysphagic screening. However, the degree of classification for dysphagia based on swallowing sounds has not been thoroughly studied. In this study, we investigate the use of machine learning for classifying swallowing sounds into various types, such as normal swallowing or mild, moderate, and severe dysphagia. In particular, swallowing sounds were recorded from patients with dysphagia. Support vector machines (SVMs) were trained using some features extracted from the obtained swallowing sounds. Moreover, the accuracy of the classification of swallowing sounds using the trained SVMs was evaluated via cross-validation techniques. In the two-class scenario, wherein the swallowing sounds were divided into two categories (viz. normal and dysphagic subjects), the maximum F-measure was 78.9%. In the four-class scenario, where the swallowing sounds were divided into four categories (viz. normal subject, and mild, moderate, and severe dysphagic subjects), the F-measure values for the classes were 65.6%, 53.1%, 51.1%, and 37.1%, respectively.

Acoustic analysis of swallowing sounds in tracheostomized patients affected by traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Purpose: to demonstrate the feasibility of using the acoustic analysis of swallowing sounds as a combined method in the clinical assessment of tracheostomized patients affected by traumatic brain injury. Methods: an observational, cross-sectional study. A total of 10 adult patients, in the mean age of 43.6 years, participated. They were hospitalized in wards, semi-intensive, or intensive care units, from May to July 2016. The inclusion criterion involved being affected by traumatic brain injury, confirmed with a CT scan. The Speech Therapy Tracheal Decannulation Protocol was used in the clinical assessment, as well as the cervical auscultation with the Doppler sonar. Fisher’s test was used, resulting in no significant relationship (p > 0.05) between the variables analyzed in the two consistencies and decannulation. Results: the presence of an acoustic signal of laryngeal elevation was observed, as well as noise between the swallowings, and acoustic signal suggestive of residue in 50% of the patients for the consistencies tested. When the peak frequency, mean wave time, presence of residue in between swallowings, and acoustic signal suggestive of residues were correlated with decannulation (Table 5), no significant correlation was verified (p > 0.05) between the variables analyzed in the two consistencies and the decannulation. Conclusion: the study suggests that it is feasible to use the Doppler sonar as a combined method in the clinical assessment of dysphagia for the decannulation of patients affected by traumatic brain injury.