title: Esophageal Involvement in Multiple System Atrophy.
abstract: The prevalence of esophageal involvement and its impact on clinical manifestations in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) remains unknown. We recruited 16 consecutive patients with dysphagia associated with MSA (MSA group) and 16 consecutive patients with dysphagia associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS group). We assessed the presence or absence of food stagnation within the esophagus using videofluorography. Food stagnation within the esophagus was observed in 16 patients (100 %; 7 severe, 9 mild) in the MSA group and in 4 patients (25 %; 4 mild) in the ALS group (P < 0.001). Follow-up videofluorography revealed that food stagnation in patients with MSA could exacerbate during the disease course. Patients with MSA and severe food stagnation showed a wide range of intraesophageal stasis by videofluorography. Among the 16 patients in the MSA group, 4 developed aspiration pneumonia and 1 died of suffocation associated with food regurgitation during continuous positive airway pressure therapy. In conclusion, food stagnation within the esophagus occurs more frequently in MSA patients with dysphagia than in ALS patients with dysphagia. Because food stagnation can cause serious complications such as aspiration pneumonia and suffocation, patients with MSA should be evaluated by videofluorography, especially those with stagnation in the esophageal phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, School of Medicine, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.affiliation: Division of Comprehensive Prosthodontics, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hori
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi-dori, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Masatoyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishizawa
authors.affiliation: Division of Dysphagia Rehabilitation, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahi-machi-dori, Niigata, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan. t-shimo@bri.niigata-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimohata
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019578:Multiple System Atrophy / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Aspiration pneumonia; Dysphagia; Esophageal involvement; Food stagnation; Multiple system atrophy; Sudden death