Background: Dysphagia is a life-threating symptom in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) because aspiration pneumonia develops as a consequence of swallowing disorders. Dysphagia can be detected by using patient-reported outcome measures in order to prevent complications.
Objective: To identify the dysphagia prevalence, severity, and swallowing related quality of life (QoL), by using two validated dysphagia questionnaires.
Method: Dysphagia in Multiple Sclerosis (DYMUS) and Swallowing Quality of Life (SWALQoL) questionnaires were collected from 64 patients with MS.
Results: The mean total SWALQoL score was 67.9 (±11.2) and the mean DYMUS score was 2.02 (±1.3). The highest mean SWALQoL subdomain score belonged to communication (76.7 ± 15.8), and the lowest score belonged to sleep (54.2 ± 12.2). There was a significant correlation between age and DYMUS and SWALQoL scores (r: 0.539 and r: -0.610 respectively, P < .001). Additionally, there was a significant moderate correlation between disease duration and DYMUS and SWALQoL scores (r: 0.693 and r: -0.697 respectively, P < .001). DYMUS and SWALQoL scores did not vary between males and females (P > .05). Patients with secondary progressive MS had higher DYMUS and lower SWALQoL scores (more dysphagia) than in primary progressive or relapsing-type MS. There was a strong, negative and statistically significant correlation between DYMUS and total SWALQoL scores (Spearman's rho: -0.862, p < .001).
Conclusion: MS causes dysphagia and reduces QoL. Age, disease duration, and MS type are major factors that influence SWALQoL. DYMUS and SWALQoL are well correlated. DYMUS is an easy to answer tool that may advised for screening dysphagia in patients with MS.
Keywords: Deglutition; Dysphagia; Multiple sclerosis; Patient-reported outcome measures; Quality of life.
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