Article

The purpose of this study was to evaluate longitudinal changes of the swallowing
process in stroke patients with aspiration using kinematic analysis. Twenty-eight
subacute stroke patients with aspiration on fluid at initial videofluoroscopic
swallowing studies (VFSS) were included. Follow-up VFSS was performed at 2-4
weeks after initial studies that were conducted at an average of 26 days after stroke. Temporal and spatial variables were calculated by two-dimensional motion
analysis of hyoid bone and epiglottic movements. Swallowing process delays
associated with hyoid bone and epiglottic movements were improved at follow-up
studies, whereas spatial variables were not. Fourteen patients had recovered from
aspiration at follow-up. Time to the start of the hyoid movement was longer in
the nonrecovered patient group at initial studies (1.76 +/- 1.07 s) than in the
recovered group (0.90 +/- 0.82 s, P = 0.024). Although time-associated
differences between the nonrecovered and recovered groups disappeared at
follow-up studies, aspiration persisted in the nonrecovered group. This study
shows that recovery from delays in the swallowing process is a conspicuous change
during the subacute stage in stroke patients with aspiration. Our findings
suggest that delayed swallowing triggering at initial VFSS is a useful predictor
of poor recovery from aspiration in stroke patients.

Langue : ANGLAIS