The Effect of Food Taste, Temperature, and Viscosity on Swallowing Efficiency

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of taste on swallowing efficiency, to evaluate the effect of temperature on swallowing efficiency, and to evaluate the effect of viscosity on swallowing efficiency.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Dysphagia

Detailed Description

Swallowing problems (dysphagia) are encountered frequently in primary practice and in the hospital setting. The list of possible causes is large, ranging from strokes and neurological disease to complications of cancer treatment, acid reflux, and surgery. Many patients have a reduced ability to feel food and fluid (reduced sensation) within the throat (pharynx) and this leads to an inability to manipulate food and fluids in the correct manner. This can produce a variety of swallowing problems such as choking on foods and fluids, regurgitation, aspiration, weight loss, malnutrition and poor quality of life.

Treatment of dysphagia is largely directed at rehabilitation of muscle power and education about safe swallowing techniques or positioning that limits food and fluid from entering the airway. One of the most widely accepted treatments of dysphagia is to alter the texture of food. Most patients with dysphagia will have more difficulty swallowing thin liquids. By adding a thickener to the liquid, a food bolus becomes more cohesive, and is less likely to become aspirated. Various types of thickening products are available over-the-counter without a prescription. These thickening products are bland and currently have no flavor. We hypothesize that alterations in food taste (sweet, salty, etc…), viscosity, and temperature, will improve swallowing efficiency. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate the effects of food taste, texture, and temperature on swallowing efficiency. The goal is to develop safer, better tasting food products and improve the quality of life in patients with disabling swallowing disorders.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 1

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Sacramento, California, United States, 95817
      • UC Davis Department of Otolaryngology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 55 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

40 dysphagic volunteers and 10 healthy volunteers

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Normal Volunteers:

  • Older than 55 years of age
  • No history of voice, swallowing, reflux, or progressive neurologic disease affecting the swallowing mechanism.
  • A normal self-administered dysphagia questionnaire (EAT-10 score of less than three)

• Patients with Dysphagia

  • Older than 55 years of age
  • Patients with the following condition: Dysphagia, globus, gastroesophageal reflux, or any other condition requiring referral for a dynamic swallowing study.
  • Patients willing to provide written informed consent for their participation in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients unable to complete the administration of the full taste and viscosity protocol.
2. Patients with profound dysphagia unable to safely consume the test solutions.
3. Patients with known sensitivities or allergies to any of the test solutions.
4. Patients who are prisoners.
5. Patients have a history of diabetes.
6. Patients who are unable to follow the simple instructions to swallow the test solutions on instruction and answer the questionnaire.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Control
• Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Normal Volunteers; Patients older than 55 years of age with no history of voice, swallowing, reflux, or progressive neurologic disease affecting the swallowing mechanism.
Patients with Dysphagia; Patients older than 55 years of age with the following condition: Dysphagia (the sensation of swallowing difficulty), globus, gastroesophageal reflux, or any other condition requiring referral for a dynamic swallowing study.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Swallowing amplitude as measured on digital accelerometry.	Digital accelerometry is a non-invasive method of measuring swallowing efficiency. A surface sensor is taped to the skin over the region of the thyroid prominence. When the patient swallows, the sensors measures upward acceleration of the thyroid cartilage and a measurement of swallowing amplitude, a surrogate measure for swallowing efficiency, is obtained.	Measurement is made at the time of patient participation.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
To evaluate swallowing efficiency.	Peak pharyngeal pressure, upper esophageal sphincter (UES) residual pressure, and UES relaxation time, all surrogate measure sof swallowing efficiency, will be measured using pharyngeal manometry.	Measurement is taken at the time of patient participation.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of California, Davis

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2012
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2012

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 16, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 3, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): January 5, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 30, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 25, 2017
• Last Verified: May 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Dysphagia; Aspiration; Regurgitation; Acid Reflux; Swallowing Problems; Dynamic Fluoroscopic Swallow Study
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Pharyngeal Diseases; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; Esophageal Diseases; Deglutition Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 201018116