Assessing the Effect of Fatigue on Swallowing Function in Adults with Acute Stroke. A Pilot Study.
Hope E Baylow
PMID 39822197WHAT IT FOUND
In 13 adults with acute stroke, repeated swallowing tests slowed pharyngeal transit and delay times but left oral timing and laryngeal closure unchanged.
This suggests fatigue affects some reflexive swallowing steps more than others, though the sample was too small for firm conclusions.
Key findings
01Pharyngeal transit time increased significantly from pre-test to post-test after fatigue induction.
02Pharyngeal delay time increased significantly from pre-test to post-test after fatigue induction.
03Oral transit time and durations of laryngeal vestibule closure, cricopharyngeal opening, and laryngeal elevation did not change significantly.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study included only 13 participants, which is very small and limits generalizability. The sample was heterogeneous in terms of stroke location, severity, and time post-onset. Fatigue was inferred from timing changes rather than measured directly. No Bonferroni correction was applied for multiple comparisons, increasing the risk of false-positive findings. The study did not include a healthy control group for comparison.
Declared interests
The author declares there are no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the significant slowing of pharyngeal transit and delay times as a definitive effect of fatigue on all swallowing components. The study was a small pilot with 13 participants, and the changes were not uniform across all measures, suggesting the findings are preliminary and require replication in larger, more controlled studies.