Assessment of tongue and pharyngeal pressure in patients with neuromuscular diseases

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25463276
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Fukuoka University
• Principal Investigator: Umemoto George 福岡大学, 医学部, 講師 (30320287)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 坪井 義夫 福岡大学, 医学部, 教授 (90291822) ; 古谷 博和 高知大学, 教育研究部医療学系臨床医学部門, 教授 (60253415)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 嚥下障害 / 神経筋疾患 / 舌圧 / 咽頭圧 / 嚥下造影検査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to characterize tongue and pharyngeal pressure in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Seventeen DMD patients, 32 DM1 patients, and 26 ALS patients were recruited. The mean tongue pressure was significantly greater in the DMD group and pressure changes in the hypopharynx and UES were significantly smaller in the DM1 group. Significant correlations were observed between pressure change in the UES and patient age in the DMD group, between pressure change in the hypopharynx and tongue pressure in the DM1 group, and between pressure change in hypopharynx and disease severity in the ALS group. Patients with DMD, DM1, and ALS have weakness in the muscles involved in swallowing, but each disorder had distinctive profile of impairment in the swallowing function.

Free Research Field

摂食嚥下リハビリテーション