This work is licensed under a Table 4.
Participant-level summary of swallow physiology in relation to symptom severity (ALSFRS-R) and swallow safety.
| Case no. | Age | Sex | Onset type | ALSFRS-R scores |
Maximum PAS (% unsafe) | LVC pattern (% not complete) | Time-to-LVC (ms) | LVCdur (ms) | UESOdur (ms) | Pharyngeal Area at Maximum Constriction (%C–42) | UESMax (%C2–4) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total /48 |
Bulbar /12 |
Swallow /4 |
|||||||||||
| 1 | 62 | F | Spinal | 44 | 12 | 4 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 133.3 (0%) | 683.3 (50%)↑ | 700.0 (100%)↑ | 0.74 (0%) | 19.14 (0%) |
| 2 | 68 | M | Spinal | 40 | 12 | 4 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 311.1 (33%)↑ | 544.4 (33%)↑ | 566.7 (33%)↑ | 2.55 (33%)↑ | 24.66 (0%) |
| 3 | 47 | F | Spinal | 39 | 12 | 4 | 3 (67) | Partial (33) | 400.0 (50%)↑ | 350.0 (0%) | 622.2 (100%)↑ | 0.44 (0%) | 13.69 (0%) |
| 4 | 48 | M | Spinal | 39 | 12 | 4 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 166.7 (0%) | 444.4 (0%) | 677.8 (100%)↑ | 0.18 (0%) | 25.32 (0%) |
| 5 | 67 | F | Spinal | 35 | 11 | 4 | 1 (0) | Partial (33) | 250.0 (0%) | 600.0 (50%)↑ | 733.3 (100%)↑ | 3.71 (0%) | 21.42 (0%) |
| 6 | 59 | M | Spinal | 32 | 11 | 4 | 1 (0) | Partial (100) | N/A a | N/A a | 444.4 (0%) | 0.34 (0%) | 24.76 (0%) |
| 7 | 68 | F | Spinal | 28 | 11 | 4 | 5 (33) | Partial (33) | 283.3 (0%) | 416.7 (0%) | 600.0 (67%)↑ | 3.19 (33%)↑ | 17.58 (0%) |
| 8 | 68 | F | Spinal | 29 | 9 | 4 | 5 (50) | Complete (0) | 183.3 (0%) | 750.0 (100%)↑ | 616.7 (100%)↑ | 0.25 (0%) | 26.24 (0%) |
| 9 | 59 | M | Bulbar | 44 | 9 | 3 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 250.0 (0%) | 550.0 (0%) | 466.7 (0%) | 3.14 (0%) | 15.28 (0%) |
| 10 | 77 | M | Mixed | 41 | 9 | 3 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 222.2 (0%) | 466.7 (0%) | 600.0 (67%)↑ | 1.66 (0%) | 12.58 (0%) |
| 11 | 49 | M | Bulbar | 36 | 8 | 3 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 350.0 (33%)↑ | 633.3 (67%)↑ | 844.4 (100%)↑ | 1.65 (0%) | 18.85 (0%) |
| 12 | 76 | M | Bulbar | 41 | 7 | 3 | 5 (33) | Partial (33) | 333.3 (0%) | 500.0 (0%) | 600.0 (100%)↑ | 4.07 (67%)↑ | 20.56 (0%) |
| 13 | 56 | F | Bulbar | 42 | 6 | 3 | 8 (67) | Partial (67) | 400.0 (100%)↑ | N/A c | 588.9 (33%)↑ | 3.14 (0%) | 6.00 (100%)↓ |
| 14 | 52 | M | Bulbar | 24 | 4 | 3 | 6 (100) | Partial (33) | 383.3 (50%)↑ | 700.0 (50%)↑ | 388.9 (33%)↓ | 12.41 (100%)↑ | 5.43 (100%)↓ |
| 15 | 72 | F | Bulbar | 34 | 3 | 3 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 322.2 (0%) | 500.0 (0%) | 433.3 (0%) | 2.33 (33%)↑ | 12.10 (0%) |
| 16 | 55 | M | Bulbar | 41 | 7 | 2 | 3 (100) | Partial (33) | 383.3 (50%)↑ | 333.3 (0%) | 533.3 (33%)↑ | 4.50 (67%)↑ | 8.97 (0%) |
| 17 | 70 | F | Bulbar | 37 | 6 | 2 | 1 (0) | Complete (0) | 322.2 (0%) | 700.0 (33%)↑ | 566.7 (33%)↑ | 0.87 (0%) | 9.38 (0%) |
| 18 | 78 | F | Spinal | 23 | 5 | 2 | 5 (33) | Complete (0) | 455.6 (100%)↑ | 266.7 (33%)↓ | 600.0 (67%)↑ | 1.58 (0%) | 14.42 (0%) |
| 19 | 49 | M | Bulbar | 34 | 5 | 1 | 8 (100) | Incomplete (100) | N/A b | N/A b | 483.3 (0%) | 43.74 (100%)↑ | 6.24 (100%)↓ |
Note. Percentage above threshold refers to the proportion of thin bolus trials that fell > 2 SDs above or below the reference data mean (see Steele, Peladeau-Pigeon, Barbon, Guida, Namasivayam-MacDonald, et al., 2019. Arrows indicate the direction of the difference (i.e., ↑ indicates > 2 SDs greater than reference mean; ↓ indicates > 2 SDs less than reference mean). Mean time-to-LVC and LVCdur based on trials demonstrating complete LVC, only. Participants are sorted by self-reported swallow function (note that lower scores on the ALSFRS-R reflect greater functional impairment). Values displayed are mean and proportion of thin trials falling outside the reference threshold. ALSFRS-R = ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised; PAS = Penetration–Aspiration Scale; LVC = laryngeal vestibule closure; LVCdur = duration of laryngeal vestibule closure; UESOdur = UES opening duration; UES = upper esophageal sphincter; F = female; M = male; N/A = not available.
Complete A–E contact achieved prior to swallow onset.
Incomplete LVC status on all trials.
Sequential swallow pattern (no LVC offset).