Establishing Reference Values for Temporal Kinematic Swallow Events Across the Lifespan in Healthy Community Dwelling Adults Using High-Resolution Cervical Auscultation.
Cara Donohue, Yassin Khalifa, Shitong Mao and 3 others
PMID 34018024WHAT IT FOUND
A noninvasive sensor system accurately identified key swallow timing events in healthy adults, matching videofluoroscopic findings for most measures.
It offers a faster, radiation-free screening option while awaiting imaging, though it currently works only for thin liquids.
Key findings
01Machine learning algorithms using cervical auscultation signals identified upper esophageal sphincter opening and closure with 88.53% accuracy compared to human videofluoroscopy judgments.
02Reference values for swallow reaction time and laryngeal vestibule closure duration from this study did not significantly differ from those of a historical cohort.
03The system analyzed 150 swallows in approximately 42 seconds, whereas human judgment would take about 5 hours.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study used only thin liquid boluses, so the reference values and algorithm accuracy do not apply to thick liquids, purees, or solids. The comparison cohort was significantly younger (mean age 34) than the study participants (mean age 62.66), which likely explains the differences in some timing measures rather than indicating measurement error. The HRCA system is not yet miniaturized or finalized for clinical bedside use; it currently requires specialized equipment and data processing. The study was conducted in healthy adults, so it does not yet demonstrate the tool's ability to correctly identify or classify dysphagia in patients with swallowing disorders. Algorithm performance varied by event, with lower precision for identifying laryngeal vestibule closure compared to sphincter events.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (Extramural).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this tool is ready for clinical use or that it can diagnose dysphagia. It was tested only on healthy adults swallowing thin liquids, and the differences in timing values compared to younger cohorts likely reflect normal aging rather than pathology.