Tongue and Lip Comparisons between Healthy and Nondysphagic Poststroke Individuals

Background: The lips and tongue play a substantial role in efficient clearance of food from the mouth and pharynx into the esophagus. No study has compared oral pressures between healthy individuals and poststoke individuals who report functional swallow abilities. Aim: The current study aimed to investigate the presence of differences in oral pressures between healthy individuals and poststroke individuals who report functional swallowing abilities. Design: This is a controlled matched pair study. Population: Eighteen control participants (CG) and 18 nondysphagic poststroke participants (NDSG) were enrolled into this study. Methods: The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument (IOPI) was used to measure and compare tongue strength, endurance, and functional lingual and labial pressures between sex and age-matched pairs. Results: Six paired, two-tailed t tests revealed that tongue and lip pressures were different between the 2 groups. Maximum anterior tongue pressures and posterior tongue pressures were also different, i.e., t(17) = -2.89 (p = 0.010) and t(17) = -2.85 (p = 0.011), with the CG presenting higher pressures. Right lip pressures were significantly lower in the NDSG compared to the CG, i.e., t(17) = 2.45 (p = 0.0001). Left lip pressures were significantly lower in the NDSG compared to the CG, i.e., t(17) = -5.43 (p = 0.0001). Tongue endurance, i.e., t(17) = 0.092 (p = 0.928) and saliva swallow pressures, i.e., t(17) = -0.490 (p = 0.63) were not different. Conclusion: Although poststroke participants reported functional swallowing abilities, there were differences in tongue and lip pressures but not in endurance or saliva swallow pressures. Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: Poststroke individuals without complaints of dysphagia who are not assessed may experience subclinical dysphagia that could negatively impact their nutrition and quality of life.

Automated summary

This study compared oral pressures between healthy individuals and poststroke individuals with functional swallowing abilities, finding differences in tongue and lip pressures but not in endurance or saliva swallow pressures. Poststroke individuals without dysphagia complaints may still have subclinical dysphagia, impacting their nutrition and quality of life.