Influence of Swallow Gel and Semi-solid Consistency on Medication Dysphagia: A Multicenter Observational Study
This research project examines the prevalence of medication-related dysphagia in patients with dysphagia-associated diseases. Its primary aim is to assess how frequently swallowing difficulties occur during medication intake and to evaluate the impact of different consistencies-such as semi-solid formulations and commercial swallowing gels-on the swallowing process. Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing serves as the diagnostic gold standard to determine whether alternative administration forms can facilitate safer swallowing. The findings are intended to support the optimization of medication intake and the prevention of complications in patients with dysphagia.
• Patients:
• Adults with a dysphagia-associated disease (neurovascular, neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory, or neuromuscular disorders; in other centers also ENT-related diseases), for whom FEES is clinically indicated.
• Capable of providing informed consent and cognitively able to follow the study protocol.
• Healthy Controls Adults without any dysphagia-associated disease (no neurovascular, neurodegenerative, neuroinflammatory, or neuromuscular disorders; no ENT-related diseases with structural abnormalities of the oropharynx or esophagus).
• Capable of providing informed consent and cognitively able to follow the study protocol.