INVESTIGATION OF DYSPHAGIA LIMIT OUTCOMES IN HEALTHY YOUNG ADULTS: AN OBSERVATIONAL-DESCRIPTIVE STUDY
1Gazi Üniversitesi, Dil ve Konuşma Terapisi, Ankara, Türkiye2Lokman Hekim Üniversitesi, Dil ve Konuşma Terapisi, Ankara, Türkiye
3Yüksek İhtisas Üniversitesi, Dil ve Konuşma Terapisi, Ankara, Türkiye Objective: Dysphagia Limit (DL) is an electrophysiological assessment tool used in swallowing evaluations. The main objective of this study was to examine DL findings in healthy young adults aged 18-25 years.
Material and Methods: A total of 100 individuals (50 males and 50 females) were included in the study. During DL measurements, each participant underwent swallowing trials using thin liquid in 5 mL increments (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 mL, etc.), while submental surface electromyography (sEMG) recordings were simultaneously recorded. When a secondary swallow and/or aspiration sign was observed in the sEMG trace, the trial was terminated and the corresponding volume was recorded as the DL.
Results: No statistically significant difference was observed between the ages of male and female participants (z = -0.428, p = 0.668). The median (min-max) DL was 30 (20-55) mL in all participants, 37.5 (20-55) mL in males, and 30 (20-50) mL in females. A significantly higher DL finding was detected in males compared to females (z = -3.719, p < 0.001). A weak but statistically significant positive correlation was found between body mass index (BMI) and DL in all individuals (r = 0.212, p = 0.046).
Conclusion: DL reference values were established for the first time in a healthy young adult population, and it was demonstrated that DL may be influenced by variables such as gender and BMI. The current findings were considered to be important for both clinical evaluation processes and future research.
Keywords : Dysphagia limit; electrophysiological measurement; deglutition disorders