PMID- 32415490 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20211124 LR - 20230525 IS - 1432-0460 (Electronic) IS - 0179-051X (Print) IS - 0179-051X (Linking) VI - 36 IP - 2 DP - 2021 Apr TI - Pharyngeal Swallowing Pressures in Patients with Radiation-Associated Dysphagia. PG - 242-249 LID - 10.1007/s00455-020-10128-9 [doi] AB - Dysphagia associated with radiotherapy for head and neck cancer is complex and can be difficult to treat. Videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) are the current gold-standard instrumented swallow assessment. High-resolution manometry (HRM) is an additional approach that provides objective measurements of swallowing-related pressures in the pharynx and esophagus. This can provide functional information on the pressure gradients underlying bolus propulsion, and is relevant for this patient population, where radiation-related fibrosis can lead to weakness and impaired pressure generation. The purpose of this preliminary study was to describe pharyngeal swallowing pressures in patients with radiation-associated dysphagia (RAD) and late radiation-associated dysphagia (LRAD) using HRM. RAD occurs during and immediately following treatment, whereas LRAD is a more recently described phenomenon in which the patient experiences an onset of dysphagia at least 5 years post-treatment. We performed a retrospective analysis of pharyngeal swallowing pressures from 21 patients with RAD or LRAD and 21 healthy sex/age-matched controls. Patients with RAD or LRAD exhibited decreased swallowing pressure durations throughout the pharynx (p