Relationship Between Swallowing Dynamics and Suprahyoid Muscle Activity in Sarcopenic Dysphagia

A previous other study has examined the suprahyoid muscle activity patterns in sarcopenic dysphagia patients using surface electromyography (sEMG). However, there was a lack of research analyzing the swallowing dynamics of sarcopenic dysphagia alongside Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS). VFSS enables the observation of swallowing in phases, offering a crucial method for assessing the presence of dysphagia and identifying the specific phases where dysphagia occurs. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the characteristics of sarcopenic dysphagia across phases using sEMG and VFSS. Additionally, the investigators aim to analyze the relationship between suprahyoid muscle activity patterns and swallowing dynamics utilizing these modalities.

VFSS enables the observation of swallowing in phases, offering a crucial method for assessing the presence of dysphagia and identifying the specific phases where dysphagia occurs. The investigators will utilize Videofluoroscopic Dysphagia Scale (VDS), that composed of fourteen categories, which can be divided into oral and pharyngeal phases to assess scores based on VFSS results. The oral phase composed of 7 items (lip closure, bolus formation, mastication, apraxia, tongue-to-palate contact, premature bolus loss, and oral transit time). The pharyngeal phase also included 7 items (triggering of pharyngeal swallowing, vallecular residues, pyriform sinus residues, laryngeal elevation, coating of pharyngeal wall, pharyngeal transit time, and aspiration). VDS can assess the components of dysphagia in such detail. Therefore, investigators can evaluate the etiology of dysphagia more precisely.