Tongue Electrical Impedance Myography Correlates with Functional, Neurophysiologic, and Clinical Outcome Measures in Long-term Oropharyngeal Cancer Survivors with and Without Hypoglossal Neuropathy: An Exploratory Study

Overview

Journal Head Neck

Specialties General Surgery
Oncology

Date 2023 Dec 22

PMID 38133080

Authors

Nathan J Hansen

Karin Woodman

Sheila Buoy

Shitong Mao

Carly E A Barbon

Stephen Y Lai

C David Fuller

Katherine A Hutcheson

Benjamin Sanchez

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This pilot study analyzed correlations between tongue electrical impedance myography (EIM), standard tongue electromyography (EMG), and tongue functional measures in N = 4 long-term oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) survivors.

Methods: Patients were screened for a supportive care trial (NCT04151082). Hypoglossal nerve function was evaluated with genioglossus needle EMG, functional measures with the Iowa oral performance instrument (IOPI), and multi-frequency tissue composition with tongue EIM.

Results: Tongue EIM conductivity was higher for patients with EMG-confirmed cranial nerve XII neuropathy than those without (p = 0.005) and in patients with mild versus normal EMG reinnervation ratings (16 kHz EIM: p = 0.051). Tongue EIM correlated with IOPI strength measurements (e.g., anterior maximum isometric lingual strength: r = 0.62, p = 0.020).

Conclusions: Tongue EIM measures related to tongue strength and the presence of XII neuropathy. Noninvasive tongue EIM may be a convenient adjunctive biomarker to assess tongue health in OPC survivors.

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