Abstract Objective: To investigate the relationship between Handgrip Strength (HGS), dysphagia classification, nutritional aspects, and Pharyngeal Transit Time (PTT) in subjects with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Methods: Study based on the analysis of secondary data from a database. The sample comprised 15 COPD patients of both sexes and a mean age of 65.7 years. We collected information on HGS, videofluoroscopic swallowing study, Volume-Viscosity Swallow Test (V-VST), and Body Mass Index (BMI). We applied correlation, effect size, and logistic regression tests at the 5% significance level. Results: Most individuals had severe COPD (66.7%), mean dominant HGS of 28.2, and non-dominant HGS of 25.3. Five subjects were malnourished, five were well-nourished, and five were obese. Most of them had normal swallowing (40%), normal V-VST results (60%), and PTT of 0.89 s (liquid) and 0.81 s (pudding-thick). There was no significant correlation between the swallowing classification and the other variables. We obtained a significant correlation (p = 0.015), though weak (r = –0.611), between non-dominant HGS and PTT. Regarding the binary logistic regression, HGS variables and HGS asymmetry were not enough to be considered a risk to clinically abnormal swallowing (V-VST). Conclusion: Subjects with COPD in this study had a longer PTT than reported in the literature for normal subjects and a weak correlation between PTT and non-dominant HGS. The variables related to muscle condition were not considered predictors for abnormal swallowing. Level of evidence: 3.

ABSTRACT Purpose: to compare the effects of a tongue coupling program with and without therapy taping on suprahyoid muscles in young women. Methods: participants were 14 women aged 19 to 25 years, allocated into two groups. The Experimental Group did 15-second tongue coupling in combination with tape use without tension, while the Control Group only did tongue coupling. Electromyography was used to analyze the suprahyoid muscles before, during, and after training, at rest, in maximum voluntary contraction, and in swallowing. The domains of amplitude and frequency of the electromyography signal were considered, in situations before, after and during the intervention, after which, the therapy taping appreciation questionnaire was administered. The chi-square test was used for clinical variables, Student’s t-test, Wilcoxon test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare before and after the intervention, and the Friedman ANOVA test was used for the training. The significance level was set at 5%. Results: no statistically significant differences were found in muscle activity when comparing values before and after the intervention at rest and in swallowing in either group or between them. However, there was a general increase in maximum voluntary contraction in both regions, in both groups. There were positive impressions regarding tape use. Conclusion: this approach in this population did not interfere with muscle activity, although there were positive qualitative results regarding the perception of the stimulated area.

Abstract Introduction Changes in breathing patterns affect the harmonious development of the structures of the craniofacial system, leading to changes in posture, occlusion, and facial growth patterns. However, little is known about how these changes influence the muscle contraction patterns, either at rest or while functioning, and either in a normal or unbalanced condition. Objective To study the masseter and anterior temporal muscles fatigue during mastication in nasal- and mouth-breathing children, also considering their facial growth patterns. Methods: A total of 70 children aged 6 to 12 years old who met the study criteria were assessed. Speech-language-hearing, otorhinolaryngologic, and cephalometric assessments were performed to divide them into groups. In the electromyographic assessment, the children were asked to chew gum following a metronome until they felt fatigued. The median frequency of the muscles was analyzed at 15, 30, 45, and 60seconds of mastication.The reported time of fatigue perception was recorded. The data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney U tests. Results There were no median frequency decrease patterns nor differences in the myoelectric manifestations and reported time of fatigue between the groups. Conclusion The masticatory muscles did not reveal fatigue in the electromyographic analysis; however, the fatigue time was reported, despite the absence of physiological fatigue. The breathing mode, the facial growth pattern, and the association between them did not interfere with the behavior of the median frequency of the electromyographic signal and the fatigue time perception.

Estudo relacionado à avaliação de serviços em saúde mental, neste caso, o Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Infantil - CAPSi, do município de Cascavel-PR, serviço substitutivo implementado a partir da transformação da assistência psiquiátrica no Brasil. Objetivou avaliar qualitativamente o CAPSi. Os participantes foram 10 profissionais de saúde que atuam no CAPSi, sendo que os dados foram analisados sob a técnica do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (DSC) (Lefèvre & Lefèvre, 2003). Como resultado, construíram-se 06 DSC e destacaram-se 12 temas geradores de significações: bom atendimento, estrutura física, recursos humanos, rede de serviços, acesso, referência, organização do serviço, família, atende as políticas de saúde mental, demanda, capacitação, redefinição de serviços, qualidade do serviço, papel do CAPSi e rotatividade de recursos humanos. Com base nos DSC o atendimento prestado no CAPSi é de boa qualidade, porém existem dificuldades de estrutura administrativa.

This study is related to the evaluation of mental health services, in this case, the Child Psychosocial Care Center - (Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Infantil - CAPSi), in the city of Cascavel-PR, that is a substitute service implemented from the transformation of the psychiatric assistance in Brazil. It objectified to evaluate CAPSi qualitatively. The participants have been 10 health professionals who act in CAPSi, and the data has been analyzed under the technique of the General Subject Speech ( Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo - DSC) (Lefèvre & Lefèvre, 2003). As result, 06 DSC have been constructed and 12 meaning-generating themes have been distinguished: good attendance, physical structure, human resources, net of services, access, reference, organization of the service, family, respect for the mental health policies, demand, qualification, redefinition of services, quality of the service, role of the CAPSi and rotation of human resources. Based on the DSC, the attendance given at CAPSi is of good quality, however, difficulties of Administrative Structure exist.