title: Aspiration pneumonia: incidence, mortality, and at-risk populations.
abstract: Pulmonary aspiration in the hospitalized patient can be devastating. Most aspiration events occur in patients with a swallowing disorder. Aspiration can be divided into 3 separate etiologies: oropharyngeal bacteria, particulate matter, and acidified gastric contents. Reported prevalence data are extremely variable, ranging from 10% to 70%. Mortality is related to the volume and content of the aspirate and is reported to be as high as 70%. Neurologic dysfunction, decreased consciousness, advancing age, gastroesophageal reflux, and tube feeding are all potential risk factors for the development of aspiration.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA. deleggem@musc.edu
authors.forename: Mark H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: DeLegge
mesh_terms: D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors