title: Swallowing dysfunction related to obstructive sleep apnea: a nasal fibroscopy pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may have subclinical swallowing abnormalities due to progressive mechanical trauma of the pharyngeal tissues caused by snoring. There are few trials on swallowing among OSA patients, and most of them used videoradiography. The aim of this trial was to show swallowing function in OSA patients by nasal fibroscopy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients with OSA diagnosed by polysomnography, with a mean age of 48 ± 14 years, without spontaneous complaints of swallowing, and 14 non-snoring volunteers, with a mean age of 47 ± 12 years, without spontaneous complaints of swallowing, participated in the study. The participants were evaluated using nasal fibroscopy. Each participant was offered diet boluses (5 and 10 ml) such as thin liquids, purée, and solids, and their swallowing function was determined according to the following criteria: (1) premature oral leakage to the pharynx; (2) laryngeal penetration; (3) tracheal aspiration; and (4) pharyngeal stasis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four percent of the OSA patients presented premature oral leakage, 55% presented pharyngeal stasis of the bolus after swallowing, and we did not observe laryngeal penetration or tracheal aspiration. There were no subclinical manifestations in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OSA patients presented subclinical manifestations of abnormal swallowing, when analyzed using nasal fibroscopy, possibly associated with neuromuscular injury caused by snoring.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-Sono, São Paulo Hospital Sleep Laboratory, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Claudio Rossi 394, CEP 01547-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. juspelta@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Juliana Spelta
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Valbuza
authors.forename: Márcio Moysés
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Edilson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zancanella
authors.forename: Cristiane Fiquene
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Lucila Bizari F
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: Luciane B C
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Gilmar Fernandes
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: do Prado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult