Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Dysphagia 2/2004

01-05-2004

Common Medical Conditions in the Elderly:Impact on Pharyngeal Bolus Transit

Authors: Katherine A. Kendall, MD, Rebecca J. Leonard, PhD, Susan McKenzie, MS

Published in: Dysphagia | Issue 2/2004

Login to get access

Abstract

Deglutition in the elderly may be impacted by the sequelae of medical diseases. It is unknown if the long-term presence of common medical diseases, such as arthritis and hypertension, leads to changes in neurologic and muscular function and thus swallowing ability. The aim of this project was to determine if the duration of bolus pharyngeal transit in nondysphagic elderly individuals with chronic medical problems is longer than that measured in nondysphagic elderly individuals without medical problems. Videofluoroscopic swallowing studies were performed on 63 elderly subjects with a variety of well-controlled medical problems and on 23 elderly subjects with no medical problems. The mean timing of pharyngeal bolus transit was compared between the two groups. The relationship between the presence of medical problems and the likelihood of transit times prolonged beyond two standard deviations of the mean transit time found in 60 younger normal controls was also analyzed. Findings included significantly prolonged pharyngeal transit time in the group of subjects with medical problems compared with those subjects without medical problems for a small bolus size. Those individuals with hypertension demonstrated the most significant delays in bolus transit. The presence of medical problems did correlate with an increased likelihood of prolonged transit times. This preliminary study indicates that medical problems common in elderly populations are associated with a deterioration of swallowing function and that changes identified in elderly individuals may not be due to aging alone.
Literature
1.
go back to reference Wilkinson, T, Picciotto, J 1999Swallowing problems in the normal ageing populationS Afr J Commun Disord465564PubMed Wilkinson, T, Picciotto, J 1999Swallowing problems in the normal ageing populationS Afr J Commun Disord465564PubMed
2.
go back to reference Lee, A, Sitoh, YY, Lieu, PK, Phua, Sy, Chin, JJ 1999Swallowing impairment and feeding dependency in the hospitalised elderlyAnn Acad Med Singapore28371376PubMed Lee, A, Sitoh, YY, Lieu, PK, Phua, Sy, Chin, JJ 1999Swallowing impairment and feeding dependency in the hospitalised elderlyAnn Acad Med Singapore28371376PubMed
3.
go back to reference Loeb, M, McGreer, A, McArthur, M, Walter, S, Simor, AE 1999Risk factors for pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections in the elderly residents of long-term care facilitiesArch Intern Med2720582064CrossRef Loeb, M, McGreer, A, McArthur, M, Walter, S, Simor, AE 1999Risk factors for pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections in the elderly residents of long-term care facilitiesArch Intern Med2720582064CrossRef
4.
go back to reference Agree EM, Freedman VA: Implications of population aging for geriatric health. Hopkins Population Center Papers on Population. No. WP 98-05, 1998 Agree EM, Freedman VA: Implications of population aging for geriatric health. Hopkins Population Center Papers on Population. No. WP 98-05, 1998
5.
go back to reference Tracy, JF, Logemann, JA, Kahrilas, PJ, Jacob, P, Kobara, M, Krugler, C 1989Preliminary observations on the effects of age on oropharyngeal deglutitionDysphagia49094PubMed Tracy, JF, Logemann, JA, Kahrilas, PJ, Jacob, P, Kobara, M, Krugler, C 1989Preliminary observations on the effects of age on oropharyngeal deglutitionDysphagia49094PubMed
6.
go back to reference Robbins, J, Hamilton, JW, Lof, GL, Kempster, GB 1992Oropharyngeal swallowing in normal adults of different agesGastroenterology103823829PubMed Robbins, J, Hamilton, JW, Lof, GL, Kempster, GB 1992Oropharyngeal swallowing in normal adults of different agesGastroenterology103823829PubMed
7.
go back to reference Rademaker, AW, Pauloski, BR, Colangelo, LA, Logemann, JA 1998Age and volume effects on liquid swallowing function in normal womenJ Speech Lang Hear Res41275284PubMed Rademaker, AW, Pauloski, BR, Colangelo, LA, Logemann, JA 1998Age and volume effects on liquid swallowing function in normal womenJ Speech Lang Hear Res41275284PubMed
8.
go back to reference Cook, IJ, Weltman, MD, Wallace, K, Shaw, DW, McKay, E, Smart, RC, Butler, SP 1994Influence of aging on oral-pharyngeal bolus transit and clearance during swallowing: scintigraphic studyAm J Physiol266G972G977PubMed Cook, IJ, Weltman, MD, Wallace, K, Shaw, DW, McKay, E, Smart, RC, Butler, SP 1994Influence of aging on oral-pharyngeal bolus transit and clearance during swallowing: scintigraphic studyAm J Physiol266G972G977PubMed
9.
go back to reference Johnson, ER, McKenzie, SW, Sievers, A 1993Aspiration in strokeArch Phys Med Rehabil7414 Johnson, ER, McKenzie, SW, Sievers, A 1993Aspiration in strokeArch Phys Med Rehabil7414
10.
go back to reference Johnson, ER, McKenzie, SW, Rosenquist, CJ, Lieberman, JS, Sievers, A 1992Dysphagia following stroke: quantitative evaluation of pharyngeal transit timesArch Phys Med Rehabil73419423PubMed Johnson, ER, McKenzie, SW, Rosenquist, CJ, Lieberman, JS, Sievers, A 1992Dysphagia following stroke: quantitative evaluation of pharyngeal transit timesArch Phys Med Rehabil73419423PubMed
11.
go back to reference Dejaeger, E, Pelemans, W, Bibau, G, Ponette, E 1994Manofluorographic analysis of swallowing in the elderlyDysphagia9156161PubMed Dejaeger, E, Pelemans, W, Bibau, G, Ponette, E 1994Manofluorographic analysis of swallowing in the elderlyDysphagia9156161PubMed
12.
go back to reference Shaw, DW, Cook, IJ, Gabb, M, Holloway, RH, Simula, ME, Panagopoulos, V, Dent, J 1995Influence of normal aging on oral-pharyngeal and upper esophageal sphincter function during swallowingAm J Physiol268G389G396PubMed Shaw, DW, Cook, IJ, Gabb, M, Holloway, RH, Simula, ME, Panagopoulos, V, Dent, J 1995Influence of normal aging on oral-pharyngeal and upper esophageal sphincter function during swallowingAm J Physiol268G389G396PubMed
13.
go back to reference Kendall, K, McKenzie, S, Leonard, R, Gonçalves, M, Walker, A 2000Timing of events in normal swallowing: a videofluoroscopic studyDysphagia15146152PubMed Kendall, K, McKenzie, S, Leonard, R, Gonçalves, M, Walker, A 2000Timing of events in normal swallowing: a videofluoroscopic studyDysphagia15146152PubMed
14.
go back to reference Case, CP, Girling, AJ 1988Vascular innervation in human skeletal muscle with and without neuromuscular diseaseActa Neuropathol76511521PubMed Case, CP, Girling, AJ 1988Vascular innervation in human skeletal muscle with and without neuromuscular diseaseActa Neuropathol76511521PubMed
15.
go back to reference Carlsen, RC, Gray, SD 1987Decline of isometric force and fatigue resistance in skeletal muscles from spontaneously hypertensive ratsExp Neurol95249264CrossRefPubMed Carlsen, RC, Gray, SD 1987Decline of isometric force and fatigue resistance in skeletal muscles from spontaneously hypertensive ratsExp Neurol95249264CrossRefPubMed
16.
go back to reference Gray, SD, Carlsen, RC, Deng, J 1994Soleus muscle contractile properties in hypertensive ratsJ Physiol267R735R739 Gray, SD, Carlsen, RC, Deng, J 1994Soleus muscle contractile properties in hypertensive ratsJ Physiol267R735R739
17.
18.
go back to reference Logemann, JA 1990Effects of aging on the swallowing mechanismOtolaryngol Clin N Am2310451056 Logemann, JA 1990Effects of aging on the swallowing mechanismOtolaryngol Clin N Am2310451056
20.
go back to reference Daniel, WW 1991Analysis of VarianceBiostatistics: A Foundation for Analysis in the Health Sciences5John Wiley & Sons IncNew York274365 Daniel, WW 1991Analysis of VarianceBiostatistics: A Foundation for Analysis in the Health Sciences5John Wiley & Sons IncNew York274365
21.
go back to reference Kendall, K, McKenzie, S, Leonard, R 2000Timing of swallowing events after single modality treatment of head and neck carcinomas with radiation therapyAnn Otol Rhinol Laryngol109767775PubMed Kendall, K, McKenzie, S, Leonard, R 2000Timing of swallowing events after single modality treatment of head and neck carcinomas with radiation therapyAnn Otol Rhinol Laryngol109767775PubMed
22.
go back to reference Leonard, R, Kendall, K, Johnson, R, McKenzie, S 2001Swallowing in myotonic muscular dystrophy: a videofluoroscopic studyArch Phys Med Rehabil82979985CrossRefPubMed Leonard, R, Kendall, K, Johnson, R, McKenzie, S 2001Swallowing in myotonic muscular dystrophy: a videofluoroscopic studyArch Phys Med Rehabil82979985CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Common Medical Conditions in the Elderly:Impact on Pharyngeal Bolus Transit
Authors
Katherine A. Kendall, MD
Rebecca J. Leonard, PhD
Susan McKenzie, MS
Publication date
01-05-2004
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Dysphagia / Issue 2/2004
Print ISSN: 0179-051X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0460
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-003-0502-z

Other articles of this Issue 2/2004

Dysphagia 2/2004 Go to the issue