ABSTRACT
Objective:To explore the effect of swallowing different viscosities and volumes on the swallowing of dysphagic stroke survivors, and also penetration and aspiration.Methods:A total of 59 stroke survivors with dysphagia were evaluated using videofluoroscopy while completing the Chinese version of the volume viscosity swallow test. They were required to swallow 3, 5 and 10ml of food of medium, low, zero and high viscosity. Modified barium swallowing impairment profiles (MBSImPs) and the Rosenbek penetration aspiration scale were used for quantitative analysis.Results:Tongue control, initiation of the pharyngeal swallow and larynx closure showed the worst performance when swallowing zero-viscosity food. Oral residue performance was poor when swallowing large volumes and pharyngeal peristalsis was poor with small volumes. The risk of penetration and aspiration was greater with low-viscosity, large-volume swallowing tasks. There was a significant positive correlation between the penetration aspiration grade and total pharyngeal score. Larynx closure was especially strongly correlated with the penetration aspiration grade.Conclusions:The characteristics of physiological swallowing are closely related to the viscosity and volume of the material being swallowed. The risk of penetration and aspiration is greater with large volumes of low-viscosity food.