Delayed-Onset Dysphagia after Whiplash Injury: A Case Report / 대한연하장애학회지

Various symptomatic complaints, including dysphagia, have been reported by patients with whiplash injury, which greatly impacts their life. There are few reports on the treatment and progression of dysphagia following whiplash injuries. This case report describes a patient who presented with delayed dysphagia after a whiplash injury. A 37-year-old female visited the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of our institution and presented with delayed dysphagia one year after a traffic accident. At the time of the accident, the patient was diagnosed with a whiplash injury and had no symptoms of dysphagia. A videofluoroscopic swallowing study revealed decreased laryngeal elevation and impaired upper esophageal sphincter opening in the pharyngeal phase. The Penetration-Aspiration Scale score was 3 for pureed food and 7 for liquid food. Laryngeal needle electromyography showed abnormal spontaneous activity in both cricothyroid muscles. The patient underwent swallowing rehabilitation for oropharyngeal dysphagia. There were recurrences of improvement and deterioration during the treatment period. However, after five months, problems related to swallowing improved until there were no complaints. Our study indicates a differentiated treatment approach and the importance of continuous rehabilitation for dysphagia after a whiplash injury.

Dysphagia after Multiple Fractures of the Neck Structures Due to Near-Hanging: A Case Report / 대한연하장애학회지

Although hanging is the most common method of suicide in Korea, there are few reports of dysphagia following laryngeal injuries due to near-hanging. This is a case report of a patient who complained of dysphagia after a complex fracture of the neck structures caused due to attempted suicide by hanging. A 51-year-old male visited our hospital with neck injuries after a near-hanging episode. Laryngoscopy suspected dislocation of the right arytenoid cartilage. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed fractures of the right hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage, as well as soft tissue emphysema. A closed reduction for the dislocation of the right arytenoid cartilage was performed. After surgery, oral feeding was attempted five days after surgery but stopped due to a large amount of aspiration. After two weeks, a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) revealed a decreased laryngeal elevation and severe impairment of the upper esophageal sphincter opening. The patient was then given rehabilitation for oropharyngeal dysphagia to restore swallowing function. Four months after the injury, VFSS showed that the residue in the pyriform sinus after multiple swallowing attempts decreased compared to the previous studies. However, oral diet and enteral feeding were combined due to the patient experiencing early fatigue due to swallowing difficulties.Our observations, in this case, show that it was necessary to provide treatment through a multidisciplinary approach coupled with long-term follow-up for patients with dysphagia after complex fractures by near-hanging.

The effects of elimination diet on nutritional status in subjects with atopic dermatitis

A food allergy is an adverse health effect arising from a specific immune response that occurs reproducibly upon exposure to a given food. In those with food allergies that are thought to cause aggravation of eczema, food avoidance is important. The objective of this study was to research the nutritional status of patients with food allergies. A total of 225 subjects diagnosed with atopic dermatitis underwent a skin prick test as well as measurement of serum immunoglobulin E. Food challenge tests were conducted using seven food items: milk, eggs, wheat, soybeans, beef, pork, and chicken. At post-food challenge visits to the test clinic, participants completed a three-day dietary record, which included two week days and one weekend day, in order to evaluate energy intake and diet quality during the challenge. We analyzed nutrient intake based on differential food allergens. Subjects with a food allergy to milk showed lower intake of Ca, Zn, and vitamin B2, and subjects with a food allergy to egg showed lower intake of vitamin A, B1, B2, niacin, and cholesterol. Subjects with a food allergy to wheat and soybean showed lower intake of Ca, P, Fe, K, Zn, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and niacin; and subjects with a food allergy to beef, pork, and chicken showed lower intake of Fe and higher intake of K, vitamin A, B2. Subjects with atopic dermatitis were lacking in several nutrients, including vitamin A and vitamin C. A greater number of food allergies showed an association with a greater number of nutrient intake deficiencies. Allergen avoidance is the basic treatment for atopic dermatitis. However, when the allergen is food, excessive restriction can lead to nutrition deficiency. Findings of this study suggest the necessity for enhanced nutritional education in order to provide substitute foods for patients with food allergies who practice food restriction.

Characterization of food allergies in patients with atopic dermatitis

We examined the characteristics of food allergy prevalence and suggested the basis of dietary guidelines for patients with food allergies and atopic dermatitis. A total of 2,417 patients were enrolled in this study. Each subject underwent a skin prick test as well as serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) measurement. A double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge was conducted using milk, eggs, wheat, and soybeans, and an oral food challenge was performed using beef, pork, and chicken. Food allergy prevalence was found among 50.7% in patients with atopic dermatitis. Among patients with food allergies (n = 1,225), the prevalence of non-IgE-mediated food allergies, IgE-mediated food allergies, and mixed allergies was discovered in 94.9%, 2.2%, and 2.9% of the patients, respectively. Food allergy prevalence, according to food item, was as follows: eggs = 21.6%, milk = 20.9%, wheat = 11.8%, soybeans = 11.7%, chicken = 11.7%, pork = 8.9% and beef = 9.2%. The total number of reactions to different food items in each patient was also variable at 45.1%, 30.6%, 15.3%, 5.8%, 2.2%, and 1.0% for 1 to 6 reactions, respectively. The most commonly seen combination in patients with two food allergies was eggs and milk. The clinical severity of the reactions observed in the challenge test, in the order of most to least severe, were wheat, beef, soybeans, milk, pork, eggs, and chicken. The minimum and maximum onset times of food allergy reactions were 0.2-24 hrs for wheat, 0.5-48 hrs for beef, 1.0-24 hrs for soybeans, 0.7-24 hrs for milk, 3.0-24 hrs for pork, 0.01-72 hrs for eggs, and 3.0-72 hrs for chicken. In our study, we examined the characteristics of seven popular foods. It will be necessary, however, to study a broader range of foods for the establishment of a dietary guideline. Our results suggest that it may be helpful to identify food allergies in order to improve symptoms in patients with atopic dermatitis.