Abstract
BACKGROUND: Swallow and cough impairments lead to aspiration and reduced clearance of aspirate material. Both behaviors are impaired in Parkinson's disease, but it is unknown whether a similar relationship of dysfunction exists in forms of atypical Parkinsonism (APD). Elucidating this association in APD may lead to early, comprehensive airway protection treatment. OBJECTIVES: We tested the hypotheses that swallow deficits in APD are associated with impaired cough and that airway protective dysfunction is associated with longer disease duration. METHODS: Swallowing difficulty was described by 11 participants with APD. Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) and DIGEST scores for thin liquid trials were extracted from medical records of videofluoroscopic swallow study reports. Voluntary and capsaicin induced-reflex cough measures of flow, volume, and timing were analyzed. RESULTS: While most participants did not have post-swallow residue, ~80% received abnormal PAS scores and reported swallowing difficulty. Those with abnormal PAS scores had lower voluntary cough expired volume (P = 0.037; mean rank difference = 5.0); lower reflex inspiratory flow rate (P = 0.034; mean rank difference = 5.5); and longer reflex expiratory flow rise time (P = 0.034; mean rank difference = 5.5). Higher PAS scores and reduced reflex cough volume acceleration were significantly correlated (r = -0.63; P = 0.04) and longer disease duration predicted larger voluntary cough expired volume (R(2) = 0.72) and longer flow rise times (R(2) = 0.47). CONCLUSIONS: As swallow safety worsens, so might the ability to clear the airways with effective cough in in APD; particularly with longer disease duration. Assessing cough in conjunction with swallowing is important for informing airway protection treatment plans in APD.