Faculty Collaboration Database

Comparison of upper esophageal sphincter opening in healthy asymptomatic young and elderly volunteers. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 1999 Oct;108(10):982-9

Date

10/20/1999

Pubmed ID

10526854

DOI

10.1177/000348949910801010

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0032862753 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   74 Citations

Abstract

Deglutitive upper esophageal sphincter opening (UES) in the elderly has been incompletely studied. Our aim was to determine in the elderly the temporal and dimensional characteristics of deglutitive UES opening; anterior and superior hyoid and laryngeal excursions as measures of distracting forces imparted on the UES; and hypopharyngeal intrabolus pressure (IBP). Fourteen healthy elderly and 14 healthy young volunteers were studied by concurrent videofluoroscopy and hypopharyngeal manometry during swallowing of 5- and 10-mL barium boluses. The anteroposterior UES diameter, as well as the anterior hyoid bone and laryngeal excursion, was significantly smaller in the elderly compared to the young (p < .05) for 5-mL barium boluses, but not for 10-mL boluses. The lateral diameter of UES opening was similar between groups for all boluses. The IBP for 5- and 10-mL swallows in the elderly was significantly higher than that in the young (p < .05). We conclude that anteroposterior deglutitive UES opening and hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage anterior excursion are reduced in the elderly. These changes are associated with increased IBP, suggesting a higher pharyngeal outflow resistance in the elderly compared to the young.

Author List

Kern M, Bardan E, Arndorfer R, Hofmann C, Ren J, Shaker R

Author

Reza Shaker MD Assoc Provost, Sr Assoc Dean, Ctr Dir, Chief, Prof in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging
Deglutition
Esophagogastric Junction
Female
Humans
Hypopharynx
Male
Manometry
Thyroid Cartilage
Time Factors