Affective Symptoms and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Head-and-Neck Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.
Iris Krebbers, Walmari Pilz, Sophie Vanbelle and 2 others
PMID 35796877WHAT IT FOUND
Oropharyngeal dysphagia and anxiety or depression frequently occur together in head-and-neck cancer survivors.
However, the review could not determine if swallowing problems cause distress or vice versa, nor how strong the link is.
Key findings
01A positive relationship between swallowing function and affective symptoms was reported in most included studies, but four studies found non-significant or negative associations.
02The review could not conduct a meta-analysis due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcome measures, leaving the strength and direction of the relationship unclear.
03Eleven of the included studies used non-validated measurement tools for swallowing or affective symptoms, limiting the reliability of the reported associations.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review included no randomized controlled trials, relying instead on observational studies that cannot prove causation. Heterogeneity in measurement tools prevented a meta-analysis, so the overall strength of the association between dysphagia and mood cannot be quantified. Eleven of the 15 studies used non-validated instruments for measuring swallowing or affective symptoms. Timing of assessments varied greatly across studies, ranging from before treatment to more than five years after treatment, which may affect how symptoms are reported. Only a small number of studies (15) were available for inclusion, limiting the generalizability of the findings.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that treating dysphagia will automatically reduce anxiety or depression, or vice versa. The review found that while these conditions often occur together, the direction of the relationship is unclear, and some studies found no significant link.