Reduced Maximum Pitch Elevation Predicts Silent Aspiration of Small Liquid Volumes in Stroke Patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Preliminary evidence has shown that reduced ability to maximally raise vocal pitch correlates with the occurrence of aspiration (i.e., airway invasion by food or liquid). However, it is unclear if this simple task can be used as a reliable predictor of aspiration in stroke patients. Our aim was to examine whether maximum vocal pitch elevation predicted airway invasion and dysphagia in stroke.

Methods

Forty-five consecutive stroke patients (<1 month poststroke) at a rehabilitation setting participated in a videofluoroscopic swallow study and two maximum vocal pitch elevation tasks. Maximum pitch was evaluated acoustically [maximum fundamental frequency (max F₀)] and perceptually. Swallowing safety was rated using the Penetration/Aspira

SUBMITTER: Rajappa AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5574871 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature