Variations in Hyoid Kinematics Across Liquid Consistencies in Healthy Swallowing.
Sana Smaoui, Melanie Peladeau-Pigeon, Catriona M Steele
PMID 33270468WHAT IT FOUND
Hyoid movement timing, position, and speed do not change across liquid consistencies or thickener types in healthy adults.
Clinicians should not attribute variations in these kinematic measures to the texture of the bolus itself.
Key findings
01Peak hyoid XY position, time-to-peak XY position, and hyoid XY speed do not vary significantly across liquid stimuli with different consistencies in healthy adults.
02Analyses did not find any differences in hyoid measures between stimuli as a function of thickener type (gum-based versus starch-based).
03Variations in hyoid timing, position, and speed should not be attributed to stimulus consistency or thickener type, particularly if they fall outside the reported reference values.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The analysis focused on healthy young adults aged below 60 years, limiting generalizability to older adults or patient populations. The study used uncontrolled comfortable sips for thinner liquids and teaspoons for thicker liquids, which introduced variability in bolus volume that may have impacted the dependent variables. Frame-by-frame hyoid tracking requires significant training and time, which may pose barriers to clinical uptake.
Declared interests
Funding was provided by the National Institute on Deafness, and Other Communication Disorders (Grant R01DC011020). No commercial conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these reference values apply to older adults or patients with dysphagia. The study only included healthy adults under 60 years old, and the authors explicitly state that clinicians should proceed with caution when comparing these values to patient populations outside this age range.