Browsing by Author "Jones, Harrison N"
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Item Open Access Adenotonsillectomy should be avoided whenever possible in infantile-onset Pompe disease.(Molecular genetics and metabolism reports, 2020-06) Jones, Harrison N; Fernandes, Samuela; Hannah, William B; Kansagra, Sujay; Raynor, Eileen M; Kishnani, Priya SItem Open Access Assessment of Dysphonia in Children with Pompe Disease Using Auditory-Perceptual and Acoustic/Physiologic Methods.(Journal of clinical medicine, 2021-08-16) Crisp, Kelly D; Neel, Amy T; Amarasekara, Sathya; Marcus, Jill; Nichting, Gretchen; Korlimarla, Aditi; Kishnani, Priya S; Jones, Harrison NBulbar and respiratory weakness occur commonly in children with Pompe disease and frequently lead to dysarthria. However, changes in vocal quality associated with this motor speech disorder are poorly described. The goal of this study was to characterize the vocal function of children with Pompe disease using auditory-perceptual and physiologic/acoustic methods. High-quality voice recordings were collected from 21 children with Pompe disease. The Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, and Strain (GRBAS) scale was used to assess voice quality and ratings were compared to physiologic/acoustic measurements collected during sustained phonation tasks, reading of a standard passage, and repetition of a short phrase at maximal volume. Based on ratings of grade, dysphonia was present in 90% of participants and was most commonly rated as mild or moderate in severity. Duration of sustained phonation tasks was reduced and shimmer was increased in comparison to published reference values for children without dysphonia. Specific measures of loudness were found to have statistically significant relationships with perceptual ratings of grade, breathiness, asthenia, and strain. Our data suggest that dysphonia is common in children with Pompe disease and primarily reflects impairments in respiratory and laryngeal function; however, the primary cause of dysphonia remains unclear. Future studies should seek to quantify the relative contribution of deficits in individual speech subsystems on voice quality and motor speech performance more broadly.Item Open Access Auditory-Perceptual Speech Features in Children With Down Syndrome.(American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2019-07) Jones, Harrison N; Crisp, Kelly D; Kuchibhatla, Maragatha; Mahler, Leslie; Risoli, Thomas; Jones, Carlee W; Kishnani, PriyaSpeech disorders occur commonly in individuals with Down syndrome (DS), although data regarding the auditory-perceptual speech features are limited. This descriptive study assessed 47 perceptual speech features during connected speech samples in 26 children with DS. The most severely affected speech features were: naturalness, imprecise consonants, hyponasality, speech rate, inappropriate silences, irregular vowels, prolonged intervals, overall loudness level, pitch level, aberrant oropharyngeal resonance, hoarse voice, reduced stress, and prolonged phonemes. These findings suggest that speech disorders in DS are due to distributed impairments involving voice, speech sound production, fluency, resonance, and prosody. These data contribute to the development of a profile of impairments in speakers with DS to guide future research and inform clinical assessment and treatment.Item Open Access Bulbar muscle weakness and fatty lingual infiltration in glycogen storage disorder type IIIa.(Molecular genetics and metabolism, 2012-11) Horvath, Jeffrey J; Austin, Stephanie L; Jones, Harrison N; Drake, Elizabeth J; Case, Laura E; Soher, Brian J; Bashir, Mustafa R; Kishnani, Priya SGlycogen storage disorder type III (GSD III) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder resulting from a deficiency of glycogen debranching enzyme, critical in cytosolic glycogen degradation. GSD IIIa, the most common form of GSD III, primarily affects the liver, cardiac muscle, and skeletal muscle. Although skeletal muscle weakness occurs commonly in GSD IIIa, bulbar muscle involvement has not been previously reported. Here we present three GSD IIIa patients with clinical evidence of bulbar weakness based on instrumental assessment of lingual strength. Dysarthria and/or dysphagia, generally mild in severity, were evident in all three individuals. One patient also underwent correlative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which was remarkable for fatty infiltration at the base of the intrinsic tongue musculature, as well as abnormal expansion of the fibro-fatty lingual septum. Additionally, we provide supportive evidence of diffuse glycogen infiltration of the tongue at necropsy in a naturally occurring canine model of GSD IIIa. While further investigation in a larger group of patients with GSD III is needed to determine the incidence of bulbar muscle involvement in this condition and whether it occurs in GSD IIIb, clinical surveillance of lingual strength is recommended.Item Open Access Challenges in measuring the effects of pharmacological interventions on cognitive and adaptive functioning in individuals with Down syndrome: A systematic review.(American journal of medical genetics. Part A, 2017-11) Keeling, Lori A; Spiridigliozzi, Gail A; Hart, Sarah J; Baker, Jane A; Jones, Harrison N; Kishnani, Priya SWe systematically reviewed the measures used in pharmaceutical trials in children/adults with Down syndrome without dementia. Our purpose was to identify developmentally appropriate outcome measures capable of detecting changes in cognitive and adaptive functioning in this population. Eleven studies were included and used diverse outcome measures across the domains of language, memory, attention, behavior, and executive/adaptive functioning. Our results highlight the challenges in selecting measures capable of capturing improvements in pharmaceutical trials in individuals with DS. We offer suggestions to enhance future research, including: conducting studies with larger samples of participants with a range of developmental abilities; modifying existing/developing novel outcome measures; incorporating advances from related areas and DS observational studies; and considering alternative analytic techniques to characterize treatment effects.Item Open Access Correlation between quantitative whole-body muscle magnetic resonance imaging and clinical muscle weakness in Pompe disease.(Muscle & nerve, 2015-05) Horvath, Jeffrey J; Austin, Stephanie L; Case, Laura E; Greene, Karla B; Jones, Harrison N; Soher, Brian J; Kishnani, Priya S; Bashir, Mustafa RIntroduction
Previous examination of whole-body muscle involvement in Pompe disease has been limited to physical examination and/or qualitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In this study we assess the feasibility of quantitative proton-density fat-fraction (PDFF) whole-body MRI in late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) and compare the results with manual muscle testing.Methods
Seven LOPD patients and 11 disease-free controls underwent whole-body PDFF MRI. Quantitative MR muscle group assessments were compared with physical testing of muscle groups.Results
The 95% upper limits of confidence intervals for muscle groups were 4.9-12.6% in controls and 6.8-76.4% in LOPD patients. LOPD patients showed severe and consistent tongue and axial muscle group involvement, with less marked involvement of peripheral musculature. MRI was more sensitive than physical examination for detection of abnormality in multiple muscle groups.Conclusion
This integrated, quantitative approach to muscle assessment provides more detailed data than physical examination and may have clinical utility for monitoring disease progression and treatment response.Item Open Access Early clinical phenotype of late onset Pompe disease: Lessons learned from newborn screening.(Molecular genetics and metabolism, 2022-03) Huggins, Erin; Holland, Maggie; Case, Laura E; Blount, Janet; Landstrom, Andrew P; Jones, Harrison N; Kishnani, Priya SPurpose
Thoroughly phenotype children with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) diagnosed via newborn screening (NBS) to provide guidance for long-term follow up.Methods
Twenty infants ages 6-21 months with LOPD diagnosed by NBS underwent systematic clinical evaluation at Duke University including cardiac imaging, biomarker testing, physical therapy evaluation, and speech-language pathology evaluation.Results
Of the 20 infants, four were homozygous for the "late-onset" IVS1 splice site variant c.-32-13 T > G, fourteen were compound heterozygous, and two did not have any copies of this variant. None of the patients had evidence of cardiomyopathy or cardiac rhythm disturbances. Biomarker testing showed an increase in CK, AST, and ALT in 8 patients (40%) and increase in Glc4 in two patients (10%). All patients demonstrated postural and kinematic concerns. Three patients (17%) scored below the 10%ile on the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) and 15 patients (83%) scored above the 10%ile. Speech-language pathology assessments were normal in all patients and mild feeding/swallowing abnormalities were noted in nine patients (45%).Conclusion
Our data show high variability among children with LOPD diagnosed via NBS. Careful physical therapy evaluation is necessary to monitor for subtle musculoskeletal signs that may reflect early muscle involvement. Patients should be monitored closely for symptom progression.Item Open Access Early cognitive development in children with infantile Pompe disease.(Molecular genetics and metabolism, 2012-03) Spiridigliozzi, Gail A; Heller, James H; Case, Laura E; Jones, Harrison N; Kishnani, Priya SThis report describes the cognitive development of 17 children with infantile Pompe disease who participated in a 52-week clinical trial of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) via biweekly infusion of Myozyme® (alglucosidase alfa). Subjects were six months of age or younger (adjusted for gestational age) upon initiation of ERT. The Mental Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) was administered to obtain a Mental Development Index (MDI) at baseline and weeks 12, 26, 38, and 52 of ERT to assess cognitive development in this treated cohort. Data regarding motor development were also obtained at the same visits and these were used to determine correlations between cognitive and motor development. Over the course of the study, two subgroups of subjects emerged: high responders who were sitting independently and/or ambulating by week 52 (n=13) and limited responders who showed minimal motor gains throughout the first year of ERT (n=4). In the high responder group, MDI scores on the BSID-II remained stable throughout the study and were within normal limits. Positive correlations between cognitive and motor development were also present. These data suggest that the cognitive function of infants up to 18 months of age with Pompe disease is unaffected by the possible presence of glycogen in the central nervous system. Continued investigation of the cognitive development of older survivors is warranted.Item Open Access Effects of respiratory muscle training (RMT) in children with infantile-onset Pompe disease and respiratory muscle weakness.(Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicine, 2014-01) Jones, Harrison N; Crisp, Kelly D; Moss, Tronda; Strollo, Katherine; Robey, Randy; Sank, Jeffrey; Canfield, Michelle; Case, Laura E; Mahler, Leslie; Kravitz, Richard M; Kishnani, Priya SPurpose
Respiratory muscle weakness is a primary therapeutic challenge for patients with infantile Pompe disease. We previously described the clinical implementation of a respiratory muscle training (RMT) regimen in two adults with late-onset Pompe disease; both demonstrated marked increases in inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength in response to RMT. However, the use of RMT in pediatric survivors of infantile Pompe disease has not been previously reported.Method
We report the effects of an intensive RMT program on maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) using A-B-A (baseline-treatment-posttest) single subject experimental design in two pediatric survivors of infantile Pompe disease. Both subjects had persistent respiratory muscle weakness despite long-term treatment with alglucosidase alfa.Results
Subject 1 demonstrated negligible to modest increases in MIP/MEP (6% increase in MIP, d=0.25; 19% increase in MEP, d=0.87), while Subject 2 demonstrated very large increases in MIP/MEP (45% increase in MIP, d=2.38; 81% increase in MEP, d=4.31). Following three-month RMT withdrawal, both subjects maintained these strength increases and demonstrated maximal MIP and MEP values at follow-up.Conclusion
Intensive RMT may be a beneficial treatment for respiratory muscle weakness in pediatric survivors of infantile Pompe disease.Item Open Access Expanding the phenotype of late-onset Pompe disease: tongue weakness: a new clinical observation.(Muscle & nerve, 2011-12) Dubrovsky, Alberto; Corderi, Jose; Lin, Min; Kishnani, Priya S; Jones, Harrison NIntroduction
Following the clinical observation of lingual weakness in 2 patients with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), tongue strength was assessed in 19 consecutive patients to determine the frequency and severity of this neurological sign.Methods
Lingual strength was assessed using manual muscle testing; if weakness was present, severity was established as mild, moderate, or severe.Results
All the patients exhibited lingual weakness, even 2 asymptomatic patients with a positive family history. Weakness was mild in 12 (63%), moderate in 6 (32%), and severe in 1 (5%). Dysarthria and/or dysphagia were observed or reported in 7 of 19 (37%) patients.Conclusions
Lingual weakness may be present as an axial sign of LOPD, even relatively early in the disease course, and may contribute to the differential diagnosis of this now treatable condition. Dysphagia and/or dysarthria may also occur. This finding further expands the phenotype of LOPD.Item Open Access Exploring Communication Ability in Individuals With Angelman Syndrome: Findings From Qualitative Interviews With Caregivers.(American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2023-05) Zigler, Christina K; Lucas, Nicole; McFatrich, Molly; Gordon, Kelly L; Jones, Harrison N; Berent, Allyson; Panagoulias, Jennifer; Evans, Paula; Reeve, Bryce BCommunication deficits have a substantial impact on quality of life for individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS) and their families, but limited qualitative work exists to support the necessary content of measures aiming to assess communication for these individuals. Following best practices for concept elicitation studies, we conducted individual qualitative interviews with caregivers and clinicians to elicit meaningful aspects of communication for individuals with AS. Caregivers were able to discuss their child's specific communication behaviors within a large number of expressive, receptive, and pragmatic functions via numerous symbolic and non-symbolic modalities. These results aligned well with published literature on communication in AS and will be used to inform the design of a novel caregiver-reported measure. Future studies on communication in individuals with AS should focus on gathering quantitative data from large samples of diverse caregivers, which would allow for estimations of the frequency of specific behaviors across the population.Item Unknown Hypoventilation syndrome in neuromuscular disorders.(Current opinion in neurology, 2021-10) Wenninger, Stephan; Jones, Harrison NPurpose of review
Hypoventilation syndrome in neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) is primarily due to respiratory muscle weakness and results in increased morbidity and mortality. This article highlights current aspects of neuromuscular hypoventilation syndrome, including pathophysiology, clinical symptoms, assessment, respiratory involvement in various NMD, and causal and symptomatic treatments with an emphasis on recent research and advances.Recent findings and summary
New therapeutic agents have been developed within the last years, proving a positive effect on respiratory system. Symptomatic therapies, including mechanical ventilation and cough assistance approaches, are important in NMD and respiratory muscle training may have benefit in strengthening respiratory muscles and should be offered patients with respiratory muscle weakness the same way as physiotherapy. Correct respiratory assessments and their correct interpretation are hallmarks for early diagnosis of hypoventilation syndrome and treatment.Item Unknown Increased inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength following respiratory muscle strength training (RMST) in two patients with late-onset Pompe disease.(Molecular genetics and metabolism, 2011-11) Jones, Harrison N; Moss, Tronda; Edwards, Laurie; Kishnani, Priya SRespiratory muscle strength training (RMST) is an exercise-based intervention which targets respiratory muscle weakness. We implemented RMST in two patients with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), both who had received long-term enzyme replacement therapy and had severe respiratory weakness. Over 16-32 weeks, inspiratory muscle strength increased by 73-74%. Expiratory muscle strength increased 31-48% over 12-22 weeks. These findings suggest that RMST may increase respiratory muscle strength, even in the setting of LOPD and severe baseline weakness.Item Unknown Inspiratory Muscle Rehabilitation Training in Pediatrics: What Is the Evidence?(Canadian respiratory journal, 2022-01) Bhammar, Dharini M; Jones, Harrison N; Lang, Jason EPulmonary rehabilitation is typically used for reducing respiratory symptoms and improving fitness and quality of life for patients with chronic lung disease. However, it is rarely prescribed and may be underused in pediatric conditions. Pulmonary rehabilitation can include inspiratory muscle training that improves the strength and endurance of the respiratory muscles. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize the current literature related to inspiratory muscle rehabilitation training (IMRT) in healthy and diseased pediatric populations. This review highlights the different methods of IMRT and their effects on respiratory musculature in children. Available literature demonstrates that IMRT can improve respiratory muscle strength and endurance, perceived dyspnea and exertion, maximum voluntary ventilation, and exercise performance in the pediatric population. These mechanistic changes help explain improvements in symptomology and clinical outcomes with IMRT and highlight our evolving understanding of the role of IMRT in pediatric patients. There remains considerable heterogeneity in the literature related to the type of training utilized, training protocols, duration of the training, use of control versus placebo, and reported outcome measures. There is a need to test and refine different IMRT protocols, conduct larger randomized controlled trials, and include patient-centered clinical outcomes to help improve the evidence base and support the use of IMRT in patient care.Item Unknown Intensive treatment of dysarthria in two adults with Down syndrome.(Developmental neurorehabilitation, 2012-01) Mahler, Leslie A; Jones, Harrison NObjective
This study investigated the impact of an established behavioural dysarthria treatment on acoustic and perceptual measures of speech in two adults with Down syndrome (DS) and dysarthria to obtain preliminary measures of treatment effect, effect size and treatment feasibility.Methods
A single-subject A-B-A experimental design was used to measure the effects of the Lee Silverman Voice treatment (LSVT®) on speech in two adults with DS and dysarthria. Dependent measures included vocal sound pressure level (dB SPL), phonatory stability and listener intelligibility scores.Results
Statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) in vocal dB SPL and phonatory stability were present following treatment in both participants. Speech intelligibility scores improved in one of the two participants.Conclusions
These data suggest that people with DS and dysarthria can respond positively to intensive speech treatment such as LSVT. Further investigations are needed to develop speech treatments specific to DS.Item Unknown Multidisciplinary assessment and diagnosis of conversion disorder in a patient with foreign accent syndrome.(Behavioural neurology, 2011-01) Jones, Harrison N; Story, Tyler J; Collins, Timothy A; Dejoy, Daniel; Edwards, Christopher LMultiple reports have described patients with disordered articulation and prosody, often following acute aphasia, dysarthria, or apraxia of speech, which results in the perception by listeners of a foreign-like accent. These features led to the term foreign accent syndrome (FAS), a speech disorder with perceptual features that suggest an indistinct, non-native speaking accent. Also correctly known as psuedoforeign accent, the speech does not typically match a specific foreign accent, but is rather a constellation of speech features that result in the perception of a foreign accent by listeners. The primary etiologies of FAS are cerebrovascular accidents or traumatic brain injuries which affect cortical and subcortical regions critical to expressive speech and language production. Far fewer cases of FAS associated with psychiatric conditions have been reported. We will present the clinical history, neurological examination, neuropsychological assessment, cognitive-behavioral and biofeedback assessments, and motor speech examination of a patient with FAS without a known vascular, traumatic, or infectious precipitant. Repeated multidisciplinary examinations of this patient provided convergent evidence in support of FAS secondary to conversion disorder. We discuss these findings and their implications for evaluation and treatment of rare neurological and psychiatric conditions.Item Unknown Oropharyngeal dysphagia may occur in late-onset Pompe disease, implicating bulbar muscle involvement.(Neuromuscular disorders : NMD, 2013-04) Hobson-Webb, Lisa D; Jones, Harrison N; Kishnani, Priya SLate-onset Pompe disease (presenting after 12 months of age) often presents with limb-girdle and respiratory weakness, but oropharyngeal dysphagia has not been reported previously. A retrospective review of all late-onset Pompe disease patients evaluated in the neuromuscular clinic at Duke University Medical Center from 1999-2010 was performed. Twelve patients were identified and 3 had symptoms of oropharyngeal dysphagia. The medical record was reviewed, including the results of electromyography, videofluroscopic swallow examinations, and motor speech examination including instrumental assessment of lingual force with the Iowa Oral Performance Instrument. Oropharyngeal dysphagia was mild in two cases and severe in one. One of the two patients with mild severity demonstrated oral stage swallow signs; in the other, residual material was observed in the area of the cervical esophagus. In the patient with severe oropharyngeal dysphagia, both the oral and pharyngeal stages of swallowing were affected with penetration and aspiration documented. The degree of swallowing impairment appeared to correlate with overall physical strength and function. Oropharyngeal dysphagia may occur in patients with late-onset Pompe disease, implicating bulbar muscle involvement. Screening for symptoms of dysphagia may help reduce morbidity and mortality, while improving understanding of the late-onset Pompe disease phenotype. Further studies, including examination of the relationship between lingual weakness and oropharyngeal dysphagia, are warranted.Item Unknown Practical Recommendations for Diagnosis and Management of Respiratory Muscle Weakness in Late-Onset Pompe Disease.(International journal of molecular sciences, 2016-10) Boentert, Matthias; Prigent, Hélène; Várdi, Katalin; Jones, Harrison N; Mellies, Uwe; Simonds, Anita K; Wenninger, Stephan; Barrot Cortés, Emilia; Confalonieri, MarcoPompe disease is an autosomal-recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive myopathy with proximal muscle weakness, respiratory muscle dysfunction, and cardiomyopathy (in infants only). In patients with juvenile or adult disease onset, respiratory muscle weakness may decline more rapidly than overall neurological disability. Sleep-disordered breathing, daytime hypercapnia, and the need for nocturnal ventilation eventually evolve in most patients. Additionally, respiratory muscle weakness leads to decreased cough and impaired airway clearance, increasing the risk of acute respiratory illness. Progressive respiratory muscle weakness is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in late-onset Pompe disease even if enzyme replacement therapy has been established. Practical knowledge of how to detect, monitor and manage respiratory muscle involvement is crucial for optimal patient care. A multidisciplinary approach combining the expertise of neurologists, pulmonologists, and intensive care specialists is needed. Based on the authors' own experience in over 200 patients, this article conveys expert recommendations for the diagnosis and management of respiratory muscle weakness and its sequelae in late-onset Pompe disease.Item Open Access Preoperative dysphagia risk in community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years: Prevalence and risk factors.(Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 2023-02) Canick, Julia; Campbell, James C; Cohen, Seth M; Jones, Harrison N; Leiman, David A; Raman, Sudha; Porter Starr, Kathryn NBackground
Preoperative dysphagia screening is rare. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and potential risk factors of preoperative dysphagia risk in adults preparing for surgery.Methods
The Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment Short Form (PG-SGA SF), and Sarcopenia Screening Tool (SARC-F) were self-administered in adults preparing for surgery to identify dysphagia, malnutrition, and sarcopenia risk, respectively. Other variables collected include clinical demographics, fall risk, and surgical history associated with increased dysphagia risk. Descriptive summary statistics, univariate analysis, and logistic regression were performed as appropriate.Results
The median age was 69 years and preoperative dysphagia risk was 9.6%. Among 357 patients completing both EAT-10 and PG-SGA SF or SARC-F, 7.3% had preoperative dysphagia and malnutrition risk and 7.2% had preoperative dysphagia and sarcopenia risk. Preoperative dysphagia risk was 2.7 times greater in those with prior surgical history associated with increased risk of dysphagia, 2.2 times higher in women, and almost twice as high in Black patients and patients with fall risk. Logistic regression revealed significant odds ratios (ORs) for prior surgical history associated with increased risk of dysphagia (OR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.62-5.40) and male sex (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.29-0.94), and a significant relationship between preoperative dysphagia and malnutrition risk (OR, 4.56; 95% CI, 2.02-10.28) when controlling for clinical variables.Conclusion
The high prevalence of dysphagia risk alone and in combination with malnutrition and sarcopenia risk in community-dwelling adults underscores the need for standardized preoperative screening and optimization prior to surgery.Item Open Access Prevalence and resource utilization for vocal fold paralysis/paresis after esophagectomy.(The Laryngoscope, 2018-12) Crowson, Matthew G; Tong, Betty C; Lee, Hui-Jie; Song, Yao; Harpole, David H; Jones, Harrison N; Cohen, SethObjectives/hypothesis
Vocal fold paralysis/paresis (VFP) is an uncommon but serious complication following esophagectomy. The objectives of this study were to: 1) identify the prevalence of VFP and associated complications after esophagectomy in the United States, and 2) determine the utilization and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery/speech-language pathology (OHNS/SLP) and predictors of such utilization in the management of these patients.Study design
Retrospective database analysis.Methods
The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) represents a 20% stratified sample of discharges from US hospitals. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes, patients undergoing esophagectomy between 2008 and 2013 were identified in the NIS. Subcohorts of patients with VFP and OHNS/SLP utilization were also identified. Weighted logistic regression models were used to compare binary outcomes such as complications; generalized linear models were used to compare total hospital charges and length of stay (LOS).Results
We studied 10,896 discharges, representing a weighted estimate of 52,610 patients undergoing esophagectomy. The incidence of VFP after esophagectomy was 1.96%. Compared to those without VFP, patients with VFP had a higher incidence of postoperative pneumonia, more medical complications, and were more likely to undergo tracheostomy; hospital charges and LOS were also higher. Of the patients with VFP, 35.0% received OHNS/SLP intervention.Conclusions
VFP after esophagectomy is associated with postoperative complications, prolonged LOS, and higher hospital costs. OHNS/SLP intervention occurred in roughly one-third of postesophagectomy VFP patients, suggesting there may be opportunities for enhanced evaluation and management of these patients.Level of evidence
4 Laryngoscope, 128:2815-2822, 2018.