TY  - JOUR
A1  - Vogel, Annemarie
A1  - Claus, Inga
A1  - Ahring, Sigrid
A1  - Gruber, Doreen
A1  - Haghikia, Aiden
A1  - Frank, Ulrike
A1  - Dziewas, Rainer
A1  - Ebersbach, Georg
A1  - Gandor, Florin
A1  - Warnecke, Tobias
T1  - Endoscopic characteristics of dysphagia in multiple system atrophy
JF  - Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society
N2  - Background
Dysphagia is a major clinical concern in multiple system atrophy (MSA). A detailed evaluation of its major endoscopic features compared with Parkinson's disease (PD) is lacking. 

Objective
This study systematically assessed dysphagia in MSA compared with PD and correlated subjective dysphagia to objective endoscopic findings. 

Methods
Fifty-seven patients with MSA (median, 64 [interquartile range (IQR): 59-71] years; 35 women) underwent flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing using a specific MSA-flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing task protocol. Findings were compared with an age-matched cohort of 57 patients with PD (median, 67 [interquartile range: 60-73] years; 28 women). In a subcohort, subjective dysphagia was assessed using the Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire and correlated to endoscopy findings. 

Results
Patients with MSA predominantly showed symptoms suggestive of oral-phase disturbance (premature spillage, 75.4%, piecemeal deglutition, 75.4%). Pharyngeal-phase symptoms occurred less often (pharyngeal residues, 50.9%; penetration/aspiration, 28.1%). In contrast, pharyngeal symptoms were the most common finding in PD (pharyngeal residues, 47.4%). Oral symptoms occurred less frequently in PD (premature spillage, 15.8%, P < 0.001; piecemeal deglutition, 1.8%, P < 0.01). Patients with MSA had a greater risk for oral-phase disturbances with increased disease severity (P < 0.05; odds ratio, 3.15). Patients with MSA showed a significantly higher intraindividual interswallow variability compared with PD. When correlating Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire scores with endoscopy results, its cutoff, validated for PD, was not sensitive enough to identify patients with MSA with dysphagia. We developed a subscore for identifying dysphagia in MSA and calculated a new cutoff (sensitivity 85%, specificity 100%). 

Conclusions
In contrast with patients with PD, patients with dysphagic MSA more frequently present with oral-phase symptoms and a significantly higher intraindividual interswallow variability. A novel Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire MSA subscore may be a valuable tool to identify patients with MSA with early oropharyngeal dysphagia.
KW  - multiple system atrophy
KW  - dysphagia
KW  - FEES
KW  - Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire
KW  - SDQ
Y1  - 2022
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1002/mds.28854
SN  - 0885-3185
SN  - 1531-8257
VL  - 37
IS  - 3
SP  - 535
EP  - 544
PB  - Wiley-Blackwell
CY  - Hoboken
ER  -