title: Aspiration in acute stroke: a clinical study with videofluoroscopy.
abstract: To assess the incidence of lung aspiration in acute stroke, and attempt to identify factors which render such patients at risk of aspiration, consecutive patients admitted to hospital within 24 h of their first symptomatic stroke were studied prospectively. Sixty patients who were conscious, and who did not have any preceding neurological or other cause of dysphagia, were assessed clinically and underwent a bedside water-swallowing test and videofluoroscopy within 72 h of stroke. Twenty-five patients (42%) were seen to aspirate at videofluoroscopy; of these 20% did not have overt dysphagia as detected by a simple water-swallowing test. Factors found to be significantly associated with aspiration were reduced pharyngeal sensation, dysphagia and stroke severity. Aspiration is common in the early period following acute stroke; disordered pharyngeal sensation is an important concomitant of this and should be carefully tested in each patient admitted with acute stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Belfast City Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kidd
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nesbitt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacMahon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies