Effects of enhanced bolus flavors on oropharyngeal swallow in patients treated for head and neck cancer. Head Neck 2013 Aug;35(8):1124-31
Date
08/22/2012Pubmed ID
22907789Pubmed Central ID
PMC4112944DOI
10.1002/hed.23086Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84880670480 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 31 CitationsAbstract
BACKGROUND: Treatment for head and neck cancer can reduce peripheral sensory input and impair oropharyngeal swallow. This study examined the effect of enhanced bolus flavor on liquid swallows in these patients.
METHODS: Fifty-one patients treated for head and neck cancer with chemoradiation or surgery and 64 healthy adult control subjects served as subjects. All were randomized to receive sour, sweet, or salty bolus flavor. Patients were evaluated at 7-10 days, 1 month, and 3 months after completion of tumor treatment. Control subjects received 1 assessment.
RESULTS: All bolus flavors affected oropharyngeal swallow; sour flavor significantly shortened pharyngeal transit time across all evaluations.
CONCLUSIONS: Sour flavor influenced the swallow of patients treated for head and neck cancer, as well as that of control subjects in a manner similar to those with neurologic impairment observed in an earlier study. Sour flavor may improve the speed of pharyngeal transit regardless of whether a patient has suffered peripheral or central sensory damage.
Author List
Pauloski BR, Logemann JA, Rademaker AW, Lundy D, Sullivan PA, Newman LA, Lazarus C, Bacon MAuthor
Barbara R. Pauloski PhD, CCC-SLP Associate Professor in the Communication Sciences & Disorders department at University of Wisconsin - MilwaukeeMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Cohort Studies
Deglutition Disorders
Female
Flavoring Agents
Head and Neck Neoplasms
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Oropharynx
Taste
Xerostomia
