Investigation of the relationship between expanded disability status and swallowing difficulty with swallowing...

Swallowing difficulty (SD) is defined as any disruption in the bolus transport from the mouth to the stomach. SD is very common in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). It is thought that individuals experiencing SD develop fears such as choking and inability to swallow, along with the development of Swallowing Anxiety (SA), and SA could be a symptom that may appear before the signs of SD.

To investigate the relationship between disability levels and SD with SA in MS.

A cross-sectional correlational study.

The study included 57 MS patients with a mean age of 41.14 ± 1.63 years. The level of neurological disability that was defined as cumulative functional impairment in MS patients was assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), cognitive abilities using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), dysphagia using the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) and Dysphagia in Multiple Sclerosis (DYMUS), and anxiety using the SA Scale (SAS).

The study found a correlation between MoCA and SAS (r:-0.46,p < 0.01); EAT-10 and SAS (r:0.83,p < 0.01); DYMUS and MoCA (r:-0.46,p < 0.01); DYMUS and SAS scores (r:0.86,p < 0.01); DYMUS and EAT-10 (r:0.90,p < 0.01).

SA can serve as a guide for identifying and preventing SD in MS patients in the early stages. Decreased cognitive function in MS patients can also lead to SD. To prevent complications caused by SD in MS patients, SA and cognitive status should be assessed early.