Tongue and Lip Comparisons between Healthy and Nondysphagic Poststroke Individuals.

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nThe lips and tongue play a substantial role in efficient clearance of food from the mouth and pharynx into the esophagus. No study has compared oral pressures between healthy individuals and poststoke individuals who report functional swallow abilities.\n\n\nAIM\nThe current study aimed to investigate the presence of differences in oral pressures between healthy individuals and poststroke individuals who report functional swallowing abilities.\n\n\nDESIGN\nThis is a controlled matched pair study.\n\n\nPOPULATION\nEighteen control participants (CG) and 18 nondysphagic poststroke participants (NDSG) were enrolled into this study.\n\n\nMETHODS\nThe Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) was used to measure and compare tongue strength, endurance, and functional lingual and labial pressures between sex and age-matched pairs.\n\n\nRESULTS\nSix paired, two-tailed t tests revealed that tongue and lip pressures were different between the 2 groups. Maximum anterior tongue pressures and posterior tongue pressures were also different, i.e., t(17) = -2.89 (p = 0.010) and t(17) = -2.85 (p = 0.011), with the CG presenting higher pressures. Right lip pressures were significantly lower in the NDSG compared to the CG, i.e., t(17) = 2.45 (p = 0.0001). Left lip pressures were significantly lower in the NDSG compared to the CG, i.e., t(17) = -5.43 (p = 0.0001). Tongue endurance, i.e., t(17) = 0.092 (p = 0.928) and saliva swallow pressures, i.e., t(17) = -0.490 (p = 0.63) were not different.\n\n\nCONCLUSION\nAlthough poststroke participants reported functional swallowing abilities, there were differences in tongue and lip pressures but not in endurance or saliva swallow pressures.\n\n\nCLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT\nPoststroke individuals without complaints of dysphagia who are not assessed may experience subclinical dysphagia that could negatively impact their nutrition and quality of life.