Two-dimensional perceptual videofluoroscopic swallowing analysis of the pharyngeal phase in patients older than 50 years.

BACKGROUND Videofluoroscopy is considered the "gold standard" procedure for the evaluation of swallowing by most units that treat patients with dysphagia, having a great impact in decision making, not only in therapeutic terms, but also in determining the prognosis. AIM To propose and to verify the reproducibility of the results of a perceptual two-dimensional videofluoroscopic protocol for the analysis of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing in a population of healthy adults. METHODS Participants were 20 healthy adults, of both genders, with ages between 50 and 65 years. Videofluoroscopy was performed during the swallow of the following consistencies: 10 ml of liquid; 7 ml of paste; and half a "salt and water" biscuit. The protocol was composed by four parts: assessment of the pharyngeal transit time; assessment of the duration of the tongue base movement to the posterior pharyngeal wall; valleculae residue ratio; assessment of penetration/aspiration. Statistical analysis involved the assessment of data reproducibility between raters and analysis of the quantitative data regarding gender. RESULTS Comparison among raters indicated that data was highly reproducible. No significant differences were found between genders for pharyngeal transit time; for the duration of the tongue base movement to the posterior pharyngeal wall; and for the valleculae residue ratio. CONCLUSION The perceptual two-dimensional videofluoroscopy analysis demonstrated to be a reproducible method. Valleculae residue was present in 40% of the study sample, suggesting that this parameter alone does not indicate alterations of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing.