title: The relationship between limit of Dysphagia and average volume per swallow in patients with Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The goal of this study was to obtain the limit of dysphagia and the average volume per swallow in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease (PD) but without swallowing complaints and in normal subjects, and to investigate the relationship between them. We hypothesize there is a direct relationship between these two measurements. The study included 10 patients with idiopathic PD and 10 age-matched normal controls. Surface electromyography was recorded over the suprahyoid muscle group. The limit of dysphagia was obtained by offering increasing volumes of water until piecemeal deglutition occurred. The average volume per swallow was calculated by dividing the time taken by the number of swallows used to drink 100 ml of water. The PD group showed a significantly lower dysphagia limit and lower average volume per swallow. There was a significantly moderate direct correlation and association between the two measurements. About half of the PD patients had an abnormally low dysphagia limit and average volume per swallow, although none had spontaneously related swallowing problems. Both measurements may be used as a quick objective screening test for the early identification of swallowing alterations that may lead to dysphagia in PD patients, but the determination of the average volume per swallow is much quicker and simpler.
authors.affiliation: Pro-Parkinson Program, Clinical Hospital of Pernambuco, Rua Abel de Sá Bezerra Cavalcanti, 161/601, Casa Amarela, Recife, PE, CEP: 52051-270, Brazil, lucianabelo@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Luciana Rodrigues
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Belo
authors.forename: Nathália Angelina Costa
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Maria das Graças Wanderley de Sales
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Coriolano
authors.forename: Elizabete Santos
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Danielle Albuquerque Alves
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Moura
authors.forename: Amdore Guescel
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Otávio Gomes
authors.initials: OG
authors.lastname: Lins
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index