title: Failed Deglutitive Upper Esophageal Sphincter Relaxation Is a Risk Factor for Aspiration in Stroke Patients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We attempted to examine the relationship between abnormal findings on high-resolution manometry (HRM) and videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) of the pharynx and upper esophageal sphincter (UES), and to identify the risk factors for aspiration.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed VFSS and HRM on the same day in 36 ischemic stroke patients (mean age, 67.5 years) with dysphagia. Pressure (basal, median intra bolus, and nadir), relaxation time interval of the UES, and mesopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal contractility (as a contractile integral) were examined using HRM. The parameters of VFSS were vallecular residue, pyriform sinus residue, vallecular overflow, penetration, and aspiration. The association between the parameters of VFSS and HRM was analyzed by the Student'sttest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three (8.3%) and 4 (11.1%) stroke patients with dysphagia had pyriform sinus residue and vallecular sinus residue, respectively, and 5 (13.8%) patients showed aspiration. Mesopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal contractile integrals in patients with residue in the pyriform sinus were significantly lower than those in patients without residue in the pyriform sinus (P< 0.05). Relaxation time intervals in patients with aspiration were significantly shorter than those in patients without aspiration (P< 0.05), and multivariate regression analysis revealed a shorter relaxation time interval as the main risk factor for aspiration (OR, 0.03; 95% CI, 0.01-0.65;P< 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Manometric measurements of the pharynx and UES were well correlated with abnormal findings in the VFSS, and a shorter relaxation time interval of the UES during deglutition is an important parameter for the development of aspiration.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Taeheon
authors: T
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jung Ho
authors: JH
authors: Park
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Chongil
authors: C
authors: Sohn
authors: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Kyung Jae
authors: KJ
authors: Yoon
authors: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Yong-Taek
authors: YT
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Bionano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors: Jung Hwan
authors: JH
authors: Park
authors: School of Material Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Korea.
authors: Il Seok
authors: IS
authors: Jung
keywords: Deglutition; Manometry; Pyriform sinus; Stroke; Upper esophageal sphincter