Does the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory correlate with dysphagia-limit and the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale in early-stage Parkinson's disease?

Abstract

Dysphagia is a common and critical condition that occurs in Parkinson's disease (PD), and it may appear in early stages. However, few reliable swallowing-related questionnaires are currently available. Therefore, finding efficient questionnaires for surveying dysphagia during the early stages of PD is necessary. This prospective study aimed to identify the correlations between the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) with dysphagia limit (DL) and the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) in early-stage PD. Forty-two patients with early-stage PD were recruited from a medical center. Data were collected for analysis of swallowing-related quality of life using the MDADI, symptom severity using the UPDRS, and DL using a noninvasive swallowing-respiration assessment system. Our results showed that the MDADI, including its composite and subscales, was not correlated with DL. The composite scores of the MDADI were moderately correlated with the total score of the UPDRS (r=-0.504; p<0.05) as well as with the second and third sections of the UPDRS scores (r=-0.453 to -0.478; p<0.05). These results indicated that the impaired MDADI score can predict symptom severity (UPDRS), especially in activities of daily life and motor function. The impaired MDADI for early-stage PD was determined, and decreased DL as a presentation of dysphagia could not be reflected by the MDADI. The MDADI may be used as a quick and convenient questionnaire for predicting the severity of early-stage PD, but not for the screening of early or subclinical dysphagia.