title: Fiberoptic endoscopy evaluation of swallowing in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive degenerative motor neuron disease that adversely affects the muscles responsible for swallowing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the oral preparatory, oral transit and pharyngeal phases of swallowing in ALS patients through endoscopic evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional historical cohort study included ALS patients submitted to endoscopic examination. Eleven patients (six males and five females; mean age of 61.7 years) were enrolled in the study from january to december of 2011.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had alterations in phases of the swallowing process, but only 72.7% complained of dysphagia. The oral preparatory phase was altered in 63.6% of the subjects; the oral transit and pharyngeal phases were altered in all studied individuals, regardless of food consistency. Laryngeal penetration or tracheal aspiration were seen in 90.9% of the patients during the pharyngeal phase while they were swallowing fluids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even in the absence of complaints, dysphagia is a frequent comorbidity in ALS patients. The oral transit and pharyngeal phases were the most frequently affected. Laryngeal penetration or tracheal aspiration occurred more frequently during the pharyngeal phase while patients were swallowing fluids.
authors.affiliation: Santa Marcelina Hospital, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana Gonçalez
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: D'Ottaviano
authors.forename: Tarcisio Aguiar
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Linhares Filho
authors.forename: Helen Maia Tavares de
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Percilia Cardoso Lopes
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Maria Sheila Guimarães
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000150:complications*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003679:Deglutition; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged