The precise associations between dysphagia and palatal tremor (PT) remain unknown. We aimed to identify the association between PT and dysphagia among patients with midbrain/pontine stroke, compare the characteristics of dysphagia between patients with PT (PT + dysphagia) and without PT (PT− dysphagia), and verify neuroanatomical predictors of PT + dysphagia in this patient population. This retrospective observational study enrolled 40 patients (34 males, 6 females; mean age: 95% confidence interval [CI], 56.6 ± 14.6 years) with first-ever midbrain or pontine stroke exhibiting brain stem lesions admitted to the stroke unit of a single rehabilitation hospital between January 2010 and April 2020. Main outcome measures included dysphagia and aspiration rates and videofluoroscopic swallowing study findings. Lesion localization was stratified according to established vascular territories. Associations between PT and dysphagia and lesion location according to PT and dysphagia were analyzed. Dysphagia and aspiration rates were greater among patients with PT than among those without PT (95% CI, p = 0.030 and p = 0.017, respectively). The proportion of patients exhibiting oral stage impairment (95% CI, p = 0.007) was greater in the PT + dysphagia group than in the PT− dysphagia group. The posterolateral portion of the midbrain and pons (95% CI, p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) were the lesions more often involved in the PT + dysphagia group. Patients with PT following midbrain/pontine stroke more frequently present with dysphagia than those without PT. Thus, they should be carefully examined for PT and delayed dysphagia, including oral stage impairment, if initial brain images show posterolateral midbrain and pons lesions.

吞咽困难和腭震颤（PT）之间的确切关联仍然未知。我们旨在确定中脑/桥脑卒中患者的 PT 与吞咽困难之间的关联，比较有 PT（PT + 吞咽困难）和没有 PT（PT- 吞咽困难）的患者吞咽困难的特征，并验证 PT + 吞咽困难的神经解剖学预测因子这个患者群体。这项回顾性观察性研究招募了 40 名患者（34 名男性，6 名女性；平均年龄：95% 置信区间 [CI]，56.6 ± 14.6 岁），首次出现中脑或脑桥卒中，表现出脑干病变，被纳入单次卒中单元2010 年 1 月至 2020 年 4 月之间的康复医院。主要结果测量包括吞咽困难和误吸率以及视频透视吞咽研究结果。根据已建立的血管区域对病变定位进行分层。根据PT和吞咽困难，分析了PT与吞咽困难和病变位置之间的关联。PT 患者的吞咽困难和误吸率高于无 PT 患者（95% CI，p  = 0.030 和p  = 0.017，分别）。PT + 吞咽困难组中出现口腔阶段障碍的患者比例 (95% CI, p  = 0.007) 高于 PT- 吞咽困难组。中脑和脑桥的后外侧部分（分别为 95% CI，p  = 0.001 和p  < 0.001）是 PT + 吞咽困难组更常见的病变。中脑/桥脑卒中后发生 PT 的患者比没有 PT 的患者更常出现吞咽困难。因此，如果最初的脑图像显示中脑后外侧和脑桥病变，则应仔细检查他们的 PT 和延迟性吞咽困难，包括口腔阶段障碍。