Features of Swallowing Function in Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis: Preliminary Evidence Using Well-Tested Assessment Frameworks

Abstract

Purpose: Evidence surrounding swallowing impairment in sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) is based on nonstandardized and nonvalidated assessment methods. We investigated (a) IBM's impact on swallowing function and oral intake status using well-tested assessment frameworks; (b) changes in swallowing over time; and (c) age, sex, and swallowing impairment severity's influence on oral intake status. Method: We conducted a secondary analysis of Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) and Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) data from 13 patients with IBM (seven females; M age = 60.2 [±13.6] years) and 13 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We compared MBSImP Overall Impression (OI), Oral Total (OT), Pharyngeal Total (PT), and FOIS scores between groups. Specific to the IBM cohort, we analyzed repeated OT and PT scores and calculated whether age, sex, and OT and PT scores predicted FOIS scores. Results: The IBM cohort demonstrated poorer OI scores across six swallowing components than healthy controls (each p < .05). Unlike OT scores ( p = .84), PT ( p = .033) and FOIS ( p < .001) scores were worse in the IBM cohort. Repeated OI scores revealed changes in three swallowing components (each p < .05), but repeated OT ( p = .16) and PT ( p = .30) scores did not significantly change. Age, sex, and OT and PT scores did not influence FOIS scores (each p > .05). Conclusions: Pharyngeal impairments were most prominent in the IBM cohort, and their oral intake status was adversely affected. Our preliminary data showcase the application of robust assessment methods to investigate swallowing function in IBM, enhancing standardization and comparability across studies. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.27165450