[Measurement of objective parameters associated with pharyngeal swallowing function in Chinese adults]

To obtain a series of objective criteria associated with pharyngeal swallowing function using dynamic swallow study in Chinese adults.

Dynamic videofluoroscopic swallow studies were performed on 80 normal adult volunteers. There were 40 males and 40 females aged from 20 to 60 years old. Measurement software Avidemux 2.5 and Image J were used to measure the objective parameters which were closely related to the pharyngeal swallowing function in the swallowing process, such as maximum displacement of the hyoid bone (HmaxD), pharyngeal transit time (PTT), pharyngeal constriction ratio(PCR), and maximum opening of the esophageal entrance (EEmax).

In the 80 adults, the HmaxD, PTT, PCR, and EEmax were (1.91 ± 0.48) cm (x(-) ± s), (0.82 ± 0.15) s, 94.9% ± 3.41%, and (0.91 ± 0.05) cm respectively. The HmaxD of the male (2.04 ± 0.46) cm was significantly larger than that of the female (1.78 ± 0.47) cm (t = 2.44, P = 0.017), but the PTT, PCR, and EEmax had no significant difference between different gender and age groups (P > 0.05).

Objective parameters of the HmaxD, PTT, PCR, and EEmax during swallowing are obtained in Chinese adults. These data are important for assessment of the swallow function and these data provide a foundation for further research on assessment of swallowing function in Chinese.