OBJECTIVE

To quantitatively measure which dysphagic features, including swallowing time and hyoid bone displacement, would be associated with increased risk of aspiration pneumonia in dysphagic Parkinsonism patients.

DESIGN

Clinical survey.

SETTING

Tertiary care center.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with Parkinsonism and dysphagia (N=25), referred for videofluoroscopic swallowing study, were recruited by retrospective review of medical records. They were divided into 2 groups according to the history of aspiration pneumonia.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Swallowing time including onset of pharyngeal swallowing, oral transit time and pharyngeal transit time, and maximum hyoid bone displacement including total, horizontal, and vertical displacement during swallowing in thin and thick bariums were recorded.

RESULTS

Patients with history of aspiration pneumonia had significantly longer pharyngeal transit time (4.14 vs 2.31s, P=.038) and onset of pharyngeal swallowing (2.16 vs 1.04s, P=.031) than those without, when swallowing thin barium. Patients with aspiration pneumonia also had significantly longer swallowing time when swallowing thick barium (oral transit time: 7.14 vs 2.33s, P=.018; pharyngeal transit time: 6.39 vs 1.23s, P=.004; onset of pharyngeal swallowing: 5.11 vs .31s, P=.006). There was no significant difference in hyoid bone displacement between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with Parkinsonism dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia had longer swallowing time than those without, but there was no difference in displacement of hyoid bone.