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The authors of this study summarize the clinical features of 62 patients, identified through retrospective chart reviews, with inflammatory myopathies and dysphagia.
The most common diagnosis was inclusion body myositis (26 patients). The others were dermatomyositis (18 patients), polymyositis (9 patients), and overlap syndrome (9 patients). Symptoms of dysphagia among the 41 patients evaluated included “food sticking in the throat” (85%) and “coughing while eating” (75%). Although all patients had such symptoms, occupational or speech therapists found “normal” oral motor control in 82%. Videofluoroscopic dysphagia evaluations revealed pharyngeal pooling, impaired tongue retraction and laryngeal elevation, and abnormal cricopharyngeal functi…