The simple swallowing provocation test as a means of screening for swallowing disorders: a comparison with the water swallowing test

S. Teramoto, T. Matsuse, H. Matsui, E. Ohga, E. Saitoh, T. Ishii, T. Tomita, T. Nagase, Y. Fukuchi, Y. Ouchi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

The sensitivity and specificity of the simple swallowing provocation test (S-SPT) were evaluated in a group of patients who were being examined for aspiration pneumonia (ASP) (ASP group: 72.5 +/- 3.9 years old) and in a group of age-matched control subjects (CTRL group: 69.5 +/- 2.9 years old). The S-SPT was evaluated in terms of the swallowing response and latent time (LT) for swallowing after a bolus injection of 0.4 ml of distilled water at the suprapharynx. Responses to the S-SPT were classified as normal or abnormal, dependent on induction of the swallowing reflex within 3 seconds after bolus injection. The sensitivity and specificity of the S-SPT in detecting ASP were calculated. Of the 40 patients in the ASP group, 18 were given a diagnosis of ASP on the basis of clinical findings and laboratory examinations. The sensitivity and specificity of the S-SPT were 94.4% and 86.4%, respectively, compared to 77.8% and 68.1%, respectively, for the water swallowing test. Because the S-SPT can be performed without any need for special patient effort or cooperation, it should be effective in diagnosing ASP in a wide variety of patients, including those who are bedridden.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)466-470
Number of pages5
JournalNihon Kokyūki Gakkai zasshi = the journal of the Japanese Respiratory Society
Volume37
Issue number6
StatePublished - 1999
Externally publishedYes

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