Identification Of Swallowing Tasks From A Modified Barium Swallow Study That Optimize The Detection Of Physiological Impairment

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify which swallowing task(s) yielded the worst performance during a standardized modified barium swallow study (MBSS) in order to optimize the detection of swallowing impairment.Method: This secondary data analysis of adult MBSSs estimated the probability of each swallowing task yielding the derived Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP™©; Martin-Harris et al., 2008) Overall Impression (OI; worst) scores using generalized estimating equations. The range of probabilities across swallowing tasks was calculated to discern which swallowing task(s) yielded the worst performance.Results: Large-volume, thin-liquid swallowing tasks had the highest probabilities of yielding the OI scores for oral containment and airway protection. The cookie swallowing task was most likely to yield OI scores for oral clearance. Several swallowing tasks had nearly equal probabilities (= .20) of yielding the OI score.Conclusions: The MBSS must represent impairment while requiring boluses that challenge the swallowing system. No single swallowing task had a sufficiently high probability to yield the identification of the worst score for each physiological component. Omission of swallowing tasks will likely fail to capture the most severe impairment for physiological components critical for safe and efficient swallowing. Results provide further support for standardized, well-tested protocols during MBSS

Construct Validity Of The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10)

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the construct validity of the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) by determining its dimensionality, rating scale integrity, item-person match, precision and relationship with the degree of airway invasion and functional oral intake. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients’ EAT-10 scores. We used the Rasch rating scale model. We investigated correlations between the EAT-10 and scores on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS). Results: The median score of the EAT-10 from 127 patients was 16 of 40 (range 0–40). Confirmatory factor analysis supported unidimensionality. The 5-point rating scale categories met published criteria. Two items misfit the Rasch model and two other items displayed differential item functioning. Rasch person reliability was 0.79. Our patient cohort was divided into three person-strata. Correlations between the EAT-10 and the PAS and FOIS were weak to moderate in strength (respectively: r ¼ 0.26, p ¼ 0.0036; r ¼ -0.27, p ¼ 0.0027). Conclusions: Our analyses identified deficits in the construct validity of the EAT-10 suggestive of a need to improve the EAT-10 to support its frequent use in clinical practice and research

Predictors Of Returning To Oral Feedings After Feeding Tube Placement For Patients Poststroke During Inpatient Rehabilitation

Objectives: To identify the frequency and characteristics of patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation (IPR) following a stroke who are able return to oral feedings and have their feeding tube (FT) removed prior to discharge from IPR, the timing of FT removal, and implications for outcomes. Methods: Medical records were identified by admission rehabilitation impairment code (RIC) for stroke (RIC 01), and reviews were completed by two physiatrists and two speech language pathologists. At random, 25% of the charts were reviewed by a second rater for data quality control. Measures collected during the chart review included the following: age, gender, onset of stroke, rehabilitation length of stay (LOS), admission and discharge FIM™, discharge destination, diet level, and feeding tube status. Results: One hundred forty-three patients were identified as subjects forthis investigation who had an FT and were NPO upon IPR admission. Overall, 46.9% (67/143) of the patients returned to three meals daily prior to discharge from IPR. The mean days post stroke onset until returning to three meals daily was 38.43 days (SD= 26.36). Twenty percent (30/143) of the patients were able to have their FT tube removed priorto·discharge from IPR. Factors associated with returning to three meals included gender (ie 1 female), longer IPR LOS, and higher admission FIM™ scores at IPR. Factors associated with removal of the feeding tube included a longer IPR LOS and younger age. Patients who were able to have their FT removed were more likely to be discharged to home. Conclusion: Individuals with longer IPR LOS were more likely to return to three meals daily and have their feeding tubes removed prior to discharge

Examining The Effect Of Implementing A Standardized Approach For The Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS)

Abstract only. Background: Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) can lead to devastating outcomes. Standardizing the modified barium swallow study (MBSS), an assessment of swallowing can directly impact health. Despite the development and validation of a standardized approach to the MBSS assessment, no direct evidence exists describing the effect of implementing this standardized approach on protocol delivery and clinical documentation. Purpose: To determine the effect of implementing a standardized MBSS approach on protocol delivery and clinical documentation in a hospital not currently utilizing a protocol. Methods: By training clinical speech-language pathologists, this implementation study compared variables for protocol delivery and clinical documentation before and after implementation of a standardized MBSS approach in a large acute care hospital. Results: Comparative analysis to be completed for continuous variables. Paired t-tests for parametric data and Mann-Whitney U tests for non-parametric data to be conducted. Relative and mean change to be reported. Data collection for this URC-supported study is ongoing; initial findings suggest that practice patterns were impacted by implementing a standardized MBSS protocol for MBSS assessment

Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Clinicians’ Self-Perceived Competency in Dysphagia Management

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are the preferred healthcare providers for managing the direct clinical care of patients with dysphagia. By assessing self-perceived competency during academic training, SLP graduate student clinicians may increase their understanding of their skills in dysphagia management. We modified the Dysphagia Competency Verification Tool (DCVT) to use a 5-point ordinal scale to explore how SLP graduate student clinicians’ self-perception of competency in dysphagia management changes over time and to determine the impact of clinical practicum experiences. Seventy-two SLP graduate student clinicians rated their self-perceived competency for four DCVT domains. We used Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) models to analyze the statistical significance of self-perception of competency ratings for each of the DCVT domains across semesters while accounting for clinical practicum experiences. Overall, the SLP graduate student clinicians indicated an increase in DCVT scores from the beginning of their graduate training program to the time of graduation, but did not perceive themselves as Adequate on most items of the DCVT until their last semester. These results suggest that both SLP graduate student clinicians and SLP graduate training programs would benefit from using a standardized metric to assess self-perceived competence in dysphagia management. DCVT self-perceived competency ratings could inform SLP graduate student clinicians about areas of dysphagia management practice and skills that need further development, allowing them to target these specific areas and gain actual competence

The iconography of Asphyxiophilia: From fantasmatic fetish to forensic fact

This is a post print version of the article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below

The Ionization Profile Monitors in the Recycler Ring

The ionization profile monitors (IPMs) are used to measure the beam size in synchrotrons. Both the Fermilab Recycler and Main Injector (MI) machines have IPMs. However, they were not well understood enough to provide confidence in their measurements. Accurately measuring beam size through the IPMs was crucial to recognize the loss mechanisms for accelerators and to keep the beam loss to a minimum. Thus, performing measurements with different parameters using the IPMs led to a better analysis on how changes in conditions affect the beam size. The IPM measurements are compared with that of multi-wires in the upstream transfer line after applying corrections. The results were compared with other diagnostics and the change in the beam size for different parameters are presented in this paper.Comment: 14th International Particle Accelerator Conference (IPAC'23

Morphological Assessment of Basic Multicellular Unit Resorption Parameters in Dogs Shows Additional Mechanisms of Bisphosphonate Effects on Bone

Bisphosphonates (BPs) slow bone loss by reducing initiation of new basic multicellular units (BMUs). Whether or not BPs simply prevent osteoclasts from initiating new BMUs that resorb bone or also reduce the amount of bone they resorb at the BMU level is not clear. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of BPs on three morphological parameters of individual BMUs, resorption depth (Rs.De), area (Rs.Ar), and width (Rs.Wi). After 1 year of treatment with vehicle (VEH), alendronate (ALN; 0.10, 0.20, or 1.00 mg/kg/day), or risedronate (RIS; 0.05, 0.10, or 0.50 mg/kg/day), resorption cavity morphology was assessed in vertebral trabecular bone of beagle dogs by histology. Animals treated with ALN or RIS at the doses representing those used to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis (0.20 and 0.10 mg/kg/day, respectively) had significantly lower Rs.Ar (−27%) and Rs.Wi (−17%), with no difference in Rs.De, compared to VEH-treated controls. Low doses of ALN and RIS did not affect any parameters, whereas higher doses resulted in similar changes to those of the clinical dose. There were no significant differences in the resorption cavity measures between RIS and ALN at any of the dose equivalents. These results highlight the importance of examining parameters beyond erosion depth for assessment of resorption parameters. Furthermore, these results suggest that in addition to the well-known effects of BPs on reducing the number of active BMUs, these drugs also reduce the activity of osteoclasts at the individual BMU level at doses at and above those used clinically for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis

Relating Physiologic Swallowing Impairment, Functional Swallowing Ability, And Swallow-Specific Quality Of Life

Many studies include functional swallowing ability and quality of life information to indicate a response to a specific swallowing intervention or to describe the natural history of dysphagia across diseases and conditions. Study results are difficult to interpret because the association between these factors and actual swallowing impairment is not understood. We set out to test the associations between components of physiologic swallowing impairment, functional swallowing ability, and swallow-specific quality of life using standardized and validated measurement tools: Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), and Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI). We specifically aimed to understand which factors may contribute to the overall relationships between these measurement tools when analyzed using total scores and item-level scores. This study included a heterogeneous cohort of 273 outpatients who underwent a modified barium swallow study (MBSS). We found significant correlations between MBSImP total scores and FOIS scores and DHI total scores, but not between MBSImP total scores and EAT-10 total scores. Significant correlations were also found between MBSImP item-level component scores and FOIS scores, EAT-10 total scores, and DHI total scores. Detailed item-level analyses revealed the MBSImP components of bolus transport/lingual motion, oral residue, and tongue base retraction were correlated with EAT-10 item-level scores and DHI item-level scores. The clinically modest associations between physiologic swallowing impairment, functional swallowing ability, and swallow-specific quality of life reveal different factors that uniquely contribute to patients’ overall dysphagic profile, emphasizing the clinical impact of a comprehensive swallowing assessment

Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Student Clinicians' Self-Perceived Competency In Dysphagia Management

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are the preferred healthcare providers for managing the direct clinical care of patients with dysphagia. By assessing self-perceived competency during academic training, SLP graduate student clinicians may increase their understanding of their skills in dysphagia management. We modified the Dysphagia Competency Verification Tool (DCVT) to use a 5-point ordinal scale to explore how SLP graduate student clinicians’ self-perception of competency in dysphagia management changes over time and to determine the impact of clinical practicum experiences. Seventy-two SLP graduate student clinicians rated their self-perceived competency for four DCVT domains. We used Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) models to analyze the statistical significance of self-perception of competency ratings for each of the DCVT domains across semesters while accounting for clinical practicum experiences. Overall, the SLP graduate student clinicians indicated an increase in DCVT scores from the beginning of their graduate training program to the time of graduation, but did not perceive themselves as Adequate on most items of the DCVT until their last semester. These results suggest that both SLP graduate student clinicians and SLP graduate training programs would benefit from using a standardized metric to assess self-perceived competence in dysphagia management. DCVT self-perceived competency ratings could inform SLP graduate student clinicians about areas of dysphagia management practice and skills that need further development, allowing them to target these specific areas and gain actual competence