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Dysphagia research

Everything we have read on dysphagia. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

715 PAPERS · PAGE 2 OF 15 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPOther2017Efficacy of Six Tasks to Clear Laryngeal Mucus Aggregation.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationHard throat clearing significantly reduced thick mucus lumps and severe thickness, while the four common alternative behaviors did not clear mucus. However, the study was too small to change clinical practice, and the alternatives remain biomechanically less harmful.
• SLPCohort2016Effects of Change in Tongue Pressure and Salivary Flow Rate on Swallow Efficiency Following Chemoradiation Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer.DysphagiaAfter chemoradiation for head and neck cancer, saliva flow fell and its change predicted swallowing efficiency change on 1mL thin, 3mL nectar, and 3mL pudding boluses. Tongue pressure and endurance showed no clear change. Check saliva before assuming tongue strength is the main problem.
• SLPOther2017Modulation of Upper Esophageal Sphincter (UES) Relaxation and Opening During Volume Swallowing.DysphagiaIn eight healthy adults, swallowing larger volumes changed how the upper esophageal sphincter opened. At 20 ml, the bolus itself pushed the sphincter open before the submental muscles peaked. This suggests 20 ml exceeds the optimal single-swallow volume.
• SLPPilot2017Pharyngeal Pressure and Timing During Bolus Transit.DysphagiaIn healthy adults, pressure at the front of a moving liquid bolus was low, while pressure at the back and during clearance was high. Clearance pressures were greatest at the lower UES. This describes healthy pressure patterns, not a treatment effect.
• SLPRCT2017Kinematic Visual Biofeedback Improves Accuracy of Learning a Swallowing Maneuver and Accuracy of Clinician Cues During Training.DysphagiaHealthy adults learning a swallowing hold were more accurate with x-ray video feedback and x-ray-based cues than with muscle-signal feedback and cues based on it. X-ray first then muscle-signal training did not maintain accuracy.
• SLPOther2016Development of a clinical feeding assessment scale for very young infants in South Africa.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsFive speech-language pathologists agreed a new checklist was needed to assess neonatal feeding and swallowing. They revised the draft to be acceptable in content and format, but it has not been tested in patients.
• SLPRCT2017Impact of Compliance on Dysphagia Rehabilitation in Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Results from a Multi-center Clinical Trial.DysphagiaIn head and neck cancer patients after radiation, electrical stimulation did not improve swallowing beyond the same stretch and swallow exercise program. Among the most compliant patients, active stimulation had worse PAS scores than sham, and doing more sessions did not improve outcomes.
• SLPOther2017Pre-pharyngeal Swallow Effects of Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Lesion on Bolus Shape and Airway Protection in an Infant Pig Model.DysphagiaIn infant pigs whose recurrent laryngeal nerve was injured, swallows that protected the airway had smaller boluses before swallowing. Bolus shape differed by pig and injury. The authors suggest testing controlled milk volume in future human work.
• SLPOther2017Development of International Terminology and Definitions for Texture-Modified Foods and Thickened Fluids Used in Dysphagia Management: The IDDSI Framework.DysphagiaA shared IDDSI framework gives texture-modified foods and thickened drinks common names, colors, and simple syringe and fork tests. Use it to reduce label confusion, not because each level has proven therapeutic thickness.
• SLPNarrative Review2017Advances with Neonatal Aerodigestive Science in the Pursuit of Safe Swallowing in Infants: Invited Review.DysphagiaInfant feeding problems involve immature swallowing, airway protection and reflux. In the authors' own experience, 51% of 100 infants referred for long-term gastrostomy avoided tube placement at discharge, and 84% fed orally by 1 year. This is reported experience, not tested evidence.
• SLPPilot2017Preliminary psychometric performance of the Neonatal Feeding Assessment Scale.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsIn 20 high-risk neonates, a new feeding assessment flagged all babies with oral-pharyngeal swallowing problems on modified barium swallow, but also flagged three babies whose modified barium swallow did not show this problem. It looks promising for clinical assessment, not proof it works.
• SLPNarrative Review2017Animal Models for Dysphagia Studies: What Have We Learnt So Far.DysphagiaNo patient outcomes are reported. This is a conceptual review of animal models for swallowing research, so it does not change therapy practice.
• SLPSurvey2017Poor consistency in evaluating South African adults with neurogenic dysphagia.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsSouth African speech-language therapists often used history, oral motor, voice and swallow safety checks, but sensation, medication review and social background were often skipped, and many instruments were rarely available. This describes uneven practice, not patient outcomes.
• SLPQualitative2017Designing a Mobile Health App for Patients With Dysphagia Following Head and Neck Cancer: A Qualitative Study.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesPatients said fatigue, memory problems, treatment side effects and unclear progress made home swallowing exercises hard. They wanted immediate, simple feedback, progress tracking, and no peer competition.
• SLPNarrative Review2017The Use of Brain Stimulation in Dysphagia Management.DysphagiaNon-invasive brain stimulation for swallowing after stroke is not yet established. Some magnetic stimulation trials report improvement; direct-current stimulation has not shown a clear benefit, and the trials are small.
• SLPRCT2017Prophylactic Swallow Therapy for Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy: A Randomized Trial.DysphagiaProphylactic swallow exercises during chemoradiotherapy did not lead to better oral diet at 3 months compared with a control group that also received TheraBite. Some swallow physiology measures were better, but eating and PEG tube duration did not differ.
• SLPQualitative2017Patient Experiences of Swallowing Exercises After Head and Neck Cancer: A Qualitative Study Examining Barriers and Facilitators Using Behaviour Change Theory.DysphagiaPatients after head and neck cancer struggled to do swallowing exercises when they did not see why the exercises mattered to them, forgot them, or had pain and fatigue. Family, clinician support, routines, and visible progress were reported as helpful.
• SLPCase Report2017Breastfeeding and swallowing in a neonate with mild hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.The South African journal of communication disorders = Die Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir KommunikasieafwykingsOne neonate with mild HIE and HIV exposure had poor latch, drowsy state and coughing or choking early, then better feeding by Day 13, but a swallow study showed oral phase problems despite no aspiration.
• OTSLPCohort2017Prognostic models for identifying adults with intellectual disabilities and mealtime support needs who are at greatest risk of respiratory infection and emergency hospitalisation.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdults with intellectual disabilities who need mealtime support and had prior respiratory infection, epilepsy or caregiver-reported swallowing problems were linked to respiratory infection. Increasing mealtime support needs and epilepsy were linked to emergency hospitalisation for eating and drinking problems.
• SLPPilot2017Optimizing Respiratory-Swallowing Coordination in Patients With Oropharyngeal Head and Neck Cancer.Perspectives of the ASHA special interest groups30 patients with head and neck cancer dysphagia trained to time swallows during mid-to-low lung volume breathing. After training, all showed the breathing-swallow pattern, and airway protection scores improved. Quality of life scores rose, but not by the 10-point clinically meaningful change.
• SLPOther2017A comparison of the swallowing function and quality of life by oral intake level in stroke patients with dysphagia.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke patients with dysphagia grouped as oral intake scored higher on most swallowing and quality-of-life domain scores than those grouped as non-oral intake. The grouping used the swallowing score, so this is an association, not proof that oral intake improves quality of life.
• OTSLPPilot2017Effects of bedside self-exercise on oropharyngeal swallowing function in stroke patients with dysphagia: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceNine stroke patients with swallowing difficulties performed three daily exercises for four weeks. Swallowing scores improved in both the mouth and throat phases. This was a small pilot, so the exercises are not proven to work, but the patients managed them independently.
• SLPCase Series2017Effects of jaw opening exercise on aspiration in stroke patients with dysphagia: a pilot study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn three stroke patients, jaw-opening exercise plus usual swallowing therapy was followed by lower aspiration scores. All also had oral facial muscle massage, palatal bowing stimulation, laryngeal movement, and tongue exercises, and there was no control group, so this cannot show the jaw exercise worked.
• SLPCase Series2017Effect of the combination of Mendelsohn maneuver and effortful swallowing on aspiration in patients with dysphagia after stroke.Journal of physical therapy scienceFour stroke patients had less aspiration on swallowing study after doing the Mendelsohn maneuver and effortful swallowing together. With no control group, this cannot show which part helped or that the combination caused the change.
• SLPCase Series2017Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on lip strength and closure function in patients with dysphagia after stroke.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter four weeks of lip NMES in eight patients with post-stroke dysphagia, lip strength measured as pressure rose from 15.9 to 20.5 kPa and closure scores moved closer to intact. With no comparison group, this cannot show NMES caused the change.
• SLPOther2017Sagittal Plane Kinematics of the Jaw and Hyolingual Apparatus During Swallowing in Macaca mulatta.DysphagiaSwallow cycles in macaques were longer than nearby chewing cycles, and the tongue lifted in a front-to-back wave during both chewing and swallowing. Absolute timings were shorter than human values, so this is not human clinical data.
• SLPOther2018Effects of chin tuck exercise using neckline slimmer device on suprahyoid and sternocleidomastoid muscle activation in healthy adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 20 healthy adults, chin tuck with a neckline slimmer device produced greater suprahyoid activation and lower sternocleidomastoid activation than head lift. It suggests a cheaper training option, but no swallowing outcomes were tested.
• SLPNarrative Review2017Reflections on Clinical and Statistical Use of the Penetration-Aspiration Scale.DysphagiaAveraging PAS scores to decimal places can misrepresent patients. Levels 4 and 6 are rare. The authors recommend frequency patterns or ordered categories, not proof that a treatment works.
• SLPOther2017Within-Bolus Variability of the Penetration-Aspiration Scale Across Two Subsequent Swallows in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer.DysphagiaSwallowing scores in head and neck cancer patients varied widely between two attempts of the same bolus. Clinicians should not rely on a single swallow or an average score, as this misses unsafe events. Report the worst score to accurately assess aspiration risk.
• SLPRCT2017Change in Excitability of Cortical Projection After Modified Catheter Balloon Dilatation Therapy in Brainstem Stroke Patients with Dysphagia: A Prospective Controlled Study.DysphagiaBalloon dilatation added to conventional swallowing exercises and budesonide inhalation increased affected-side muscle responses after brain stimulation and improved tube feeding and hyoid movement more than conventional exercises alone in 30 brainstem stroke patients.
• SLPOther2017What Type of Food Can Older Adults Masticate?: Evaluation of Mastication Performance Using Color-Changeable Chewing Gum.DysphagiaGum color after chewing tracked whether older adults made food ready to swallow for boiled rice, ginger-fried pork loin, boiled fish-paste, and rice cracker; sliced white bread did not follow this pattern.
• SLPCase Report2018Pharyngeal Dystonia Mimicking Spasmodic Dysphonia.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationVoice breaks that looked like spasmodic dysphonia came from pharyngeal muscle spasms on laryngoscopy. In four patients, voice improvement was reported after injections that included pharyngeal folds, while laryngeal injections had not helped in some cases. This case series cannot prove treatment works.
• SLPOther2017Trends in Research Literature Describing Dysphagia in Motor Neuron Diseases (MND): A Scoping Review.DysphagiaMost research on swallowing in motor neuron disease focuses on aspiration, ignoring post-swallow residue which causes malnutrition. Few studies test treatments directly; most recommendations rely on secondary sources or clinical observation. Instrumental assessment is needed to guide management effectively.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2018Assessment of Rehabilitation Infrastructure in Peru.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation39% of rehabilitation specialists surveyed in Peru reported never seeing hospitalized patients. PTs were commonly reported to perform OT and SLP tasks when those staff were absent. One third said patients waited more than a week for inpatient therapy.
• SLPOther2018LVC Timing in Infant Pig Swallowing and the Effect of Safe Swallowing.DysphagiaIn infant pigs, unsafe swallows consistently showed delayed laryngeal vestibule closure and altered tongue and hyoid timing compared to safe swallows. However, nerve damage itself did not change these closure timings, suggesting the mechanism for post-surgical aspiration remains unclear.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Clinical phenotype of ASD-associated DYRK1A haploinsufficiency.Molecular autismDYRK1A disruptions were associated with microcephaly, speech delay, intellectual impairment, motor and feeding problems, vision abnormalities, and ASD features. This pattern can guide assessment of speech, motor, feeding, vision, and adaptive needs.
• SLPOther2018Maturation Modulates Pharyngeal-Stimulus Provoked Pharyngeal and Respiratory Rhythms in Human Infants.DysphagiaPharyngeal reflexes in preterm infants changed with age and water volume. As they matured toward full oral feeds, swallowing sequences had fewer peaks and shorter breathing pauses. Larger volumes produced more responses and peaks, without changing breathing rhythms.
• SLPCohort2018Grading Dysphagia as a Toxicity of Head and Neck Cancer: Differences in Severity Classification Based on MBS DIGEST and Clinical CTCAE Grades.DysphagiaClinical symptom ratings often mismatch swallowing scans. Early after treatment, feeding tubes may reflect other side effects rather than true pharyngeal dysphagia. Later on, patients can eat normally despite severe silent dysfunction. Relying on one method alone misses the full picture of swallowing safety.
• SLPPilot2018A Pilot Study of Perceived Mouth Dryness, Perceived Swallowing Effort, and Saliva Substitute Effects in Healthy Adults Across the Age Range.DysphagiaHealthy adults who rated their mouth drier rated swallowing effort higher. After Biotene gel, the middle effort rating dropped from 10 to 5 on the 10-centimeter line. Older age was linked to dryness, not effort.
• SLPCohort2018Correlations Between Patient-Reported Dysphagia Screening and Penetration-Aspiration Scores in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Post-oncological Treatment.DysphagiaHead and neck cancer survivors who reported trouble eating, swallowing and coughing often had severe swallowing findings, but patient reports and test scores were only weakly related overall. Trouble drinking was less commonly reported.
• SLPOther2018Rethinking Residue: Determining the Perceptual Continuum of Residue on FEES to Enable Better Measurement.DysphagiaClinicians' 100-mm line ratings and none-to-severe category ratings of residue on swallowing endoscopy videos moved together, but unevenly. Category steps did not represent equal amounts of residue, so line ratings may better reflect severity.
• SLPPilot2018First Steps Towards Development of an Instrument for the Reproducible Quantification of Oropharyngeal Swallow Physiology in Bottle-Fed Children.DysphagiaSeven speech-language pathologists reached 80% agreement with expert scores on all 24 swallowing components after three training sessions, using bottle-fed children's swallow videos. This shows the scoring method can be taught, not that it improves care.
• SLPSystematic Review2018Patient Adherence to Dysphagia Recommendations: A Systematic Review.DysphagiaOnly twelve original studies directly measured patient adherence to dysphagia recommendations. Most were in head and neck cancer and relied on self-report. Difficulty and fatigue were common barriers; motivation, support, written instructions, and weekly calls were reported as facilitators.
• SLPPilot2018Computational Analysis of Pharyngeal Swallowing Mechanics in Patients with Motor Neuron Disease: A Pilot Investigation.DysphagiaPatients with motor neuron disease showed greater head and neck extension and hyolaryngeal elevation compared to healthy controls. These changes appear to compensate for reduced tongue base retraction and pharyngeal shortening, though mechanics varied widely between patients.
• SLPCohort2018Evaluation of Swallow Function in Patients with Craniofacial Microsomia: A Retrospective Study.DysphagiaIn children with craniofacial microsomia, severe jaw underdevelopment was linked to poor bolus formation. Aspiration occurred in 34.5% of those tested, rising to 62.5% in infants under six months. Thin liquids were the most common trigger.
• SLPOther2018Effect of Body Position on Pharyngeal Swallowing Pressures Using High-Resolution Manometry.DysphagiaSwallowing water while lying flat or inverted raised velopharyngeal pressures compared with upright. 45° pressure was lower than 110°, 135°, and 180°. UES pressure events mostly stayed similar. Expect position-related pressure changes in non-upright swallowing assessments.
• SLPOther2018Alterations to Swallowing Physiology as the Result of Effortful Swallowing in Healthy Seniors.DysphagiaIn 44 healthy seniors, effortful swallowing did not improve pharyngeal constriction and was associated with worse pharyngeal shortening and more residue in the pyriform sinuses, while all timing measures were prolonged. Vallecular residue and penetration-aspiration scores did not change.
• SLPSurvey2018Creation and Initial Validation of the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative Functional Diet Scale.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationClinicians in 29 countries mostly agreed with the reference panel on IDDSI Functional Diet Scale scores for 16 case scenarios. The scale also lined up with the Functional Oral Intake Scale.
• SLPCohort2018Temporal Analysis of Factors Associated with EAT-10 in Outpatients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia from a Tertiary Care Clinic.DysphagiaSwallowing symptoms did not change over six months in 42 outpatients, most with mild dysphagia. A PEG tube at baseline was linked to EAT-10 change, and many patients scored zero on items.
• SLPOther2018An Investigation of the Post-laryngectomy Swallow Using Videofluoroscopy and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).DysphagiaBoth scans often showed residue after laryngectomy, but the scans and expert raters disagreed too much to say which tool is more useful. Videofluoroscopy was better for the neopharynx; FEES often found more residue.