Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39863816›Full record

ArticleEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2025

Unveiling the relation between swallowing muscle mass and skeletal muscle mass in head and neck cancer patients.

Javier Hurtado-Oliva, Lucy Núñez-Miranda, Aniek T Zwart, Jeroen Vister, Boudewijn E C Plaat, Roel J H M Steenbakkers, Anouk van der Hoorn, Inge Wegner, Gyorgy B Halmos

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Article in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Predictors of aspiration pneumonia in oral cavity cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy: A focus on skeletal muscle index.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Javier Hurtado-OlivaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO box 30.001, Groningen, 9700RB, The Netherlands. j.a.hurtado.oliva@umcg.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7586-1671
Lucy Núñez-MirandaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO box 30.001, Groningen, 9700RB, The Netherlands.
Aniek T ZwartDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Jeroen VisterDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Boudewijn E C PlaatDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO box 30.001, Groningen, 9700RB, The Netherlands.
Roel J H M SteenbakkersDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Anouk van der HoornDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Inge WegnerDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO box 30.001, Groningen, 9700RB, The Netherlands.
Gyorgy B HalmosDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, PO box 30.001, Groningen, 9700RB, The Netherlands.

Funding

Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo 72210512
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeSarcopenia, characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and strength, often leads to dysphagia in the elderly. This condition can also worsen treatment outcomes in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, who are susceptible to swallowing difficulties. This study aimed to establish the correlation between swallowing muscle mass (SwMM) and SMM in HNC patients.

methodsData from 157 HNC patients in the OncoLifeS biobank of the University Medical Center Groningen were analyzed using pre-treatment neck CT scans. The SwMM was assessed by the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the tongue complex muscles (TCM), and SMM was indicated by the skeletal muscle index (SMI), calculated from corrected CSA at the third lumbar vertebra (L3). Correlations between SwMM and SMM were analyzed using Pearson or Spearman tests, and multivariable linear regression with SMI as dependent variable was performed.

resultsSwMM was moderately correlated with SMI (r = 0.600, p < 0.001), CSA at C3 (r = 0.538, p < 0.001), and CSA at L3 (r = 0.651, p < 0.001). The CSA at C3 strongly correlated with SMI (r = 0.871, p < 0.001). In multivariable regression analysis, age, sex, and weight were strong predictors of SMI, while the TCM area was a less robust predictor (p = 0.059). Models with CSA at C3 and L3 showed all variables as significant predictors (p < 0.001).

conclusionsAlthough SwMM was significantly correlated with SMI and holds clinical utility, it is not strong enough to be considered interchangeably with C3 for predicting SMI, suggesting that swallowing muscles represent a different entity than skeletal muscles and not reflect accurately the general muscle mass.

Indexed as

DeglutitionDeglutition DisordersHead and Neck NeoplasmsMuscle, SkeletalSarcopeniaAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTomography, X-Ray ComputedTongueDysphagiaHead and neck cancerSarcopeniaSkeletal muscle massSwallowing muscle mass

Identifiers

PMID39863816
PMCPMC12122628

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.