Recent and specific data on the prevalence and/or incidence of oropharyngeal dysphagia in the general population are scarce. This study focuses on obtaining this data by means of a literature review and telephone survey. A literature review was performed to obtain data on the prevalence of dysphagia in the general population. Secondly, a quasi-random telephone survey using the functional health status questionnaire EAT-10 was conducted with the aim of establishing prevalence data on oropharyngeal dysphagia in the Netherlands. The literature review revealed six articles which met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence data on oropharyngeal dysphagia in the general population varied between 2.3 and 16 %. For the telephone survey, a total of 6,700 individuals were contacted by telephone, of which, 2,600 (39 %) participated in the study. Of the 2,600 participants, as many as 315 (12.1 %) were identified as having swallowing abnormalities and showed increased risk of oropharyngeal dysphagia with age. Prevalence data on oropharyngeal dysphagia in the Dutch general population were as high as 12.1 %. This data are in line with the retrieved prevalence data from the literature.

Purpose: This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between dysphagia post-total laryngectomy (TL) and quality of life (QoL) of people who reside in Greece. This is the first such report to be undertaken on the topic. Methods: Speech and language therapists typically use patient judgement to identify difficulties with swallowing. The Greek adaptations of the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) were completed by members of the Hellenic Association of Laryngectomees (HAL). More than 400 questionnaires were sent, but only 23 were returned (18 males and 5 females). Results: The results revealed that dysphagia has a negative impact on the QoL of people who have undergone TL for treatment of laryngeal cancer. Conclusion: It appears that not only treatment (i.e. TL) of the primary disease, but also secondary problems as a result of the treatment, such as dysphagia, have a significant impact on the QoL of patients and must be taken into consideration when therapeutic decisions for laryngeal cancer are made. The qualitative measures used here provide a starting point to objectively describe QoL as perceived by TL patients. This is particularly pertinent in Greece where access to delivery and quality of health services has been challenging because of recent fiscal constraints.

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Background. In an effort to boost aphasia recovery, modern rehabilitation, in addition to speech and language therapy (SALT), is increasingly incorporating noninvasive methods of brain stimulation. The present study is aimed at investigating the effectiveness of two paradigms of neuronavigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS): (i) 1 Hz rTMS and (ii) continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) each as a standalone treatment for chronic aphasia poststroke. Methods. A single subject experimental design (SSED) trial was carried out in which six people with aphasia (PWA) were recruited, following a single left hemispheric stroke more than six months prior to the study. Three individuals were treated with 1 Hz rTMS, and the remaining three were treated with cTBS. In all cases, TMS was applied over the right pars triangularis (pTr). Language assessment, with standardized and functional measures, and cognitive evaluations were carried out at four time points: twice prior to treatment (baseline), one day immediately posttreatment, and at follow-up two months after treatment was terminated. Quality of life (QoL) was also assessed at baseline and two months posttreatment. In addition, one of the participants with severe global aphasia was followed up again one and two years posttherapy. Results. For all participants, both rTMS paradigms (1 Hz rTMS and cTBS) generated trends towards improvement in several language skills (i.e., verbal receptive language, expressive language, and naming and reading) one day after treatment and/or two months after therapy. Rated QoL remained stable in three individuals, but for the other three, the communication scores of the QoL were reduced, while two of them also showed a decline in the psychological scores. The participant that was treated with cTBS and followed for up to two years showed that the significant improvement she had initially exhibited in comprehension and reading skills two months after TMS (1st follow-up) was sustained for at least up to two years. Conclusion. From the current findings, it is suggested that inhibitory TMS over the right pTr has the potential to drive neuroplastic changes as a standalone treatment that facilitates language recovery in poststroke aphasia.

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