title: Predictors of prolonged dysphagia following acute stroke.
abstract: Dysphagia following acute stroke frequently necessitates prolonged enteral feeding. There is evidence that early enteral feeding via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is both beneficial and safe. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of prolonged dysphagia. The subjects were 149 consecutive patients admitted with acute stroke. Clinical findings and imaging results were prospectively collected, and subsequent progress recorded. Subjects were divided into 3 groups for analysis: no dysphagia; transient dysphagia (< or =14 days); or prolonged dysphagia (>14 days). Validity of the water swallow test as a predictor of aspiration pneumonia was confirmed. Significant associations for prolonged dysphagia were seen with stroke severity, dysphasia and lesions of the frontal and insular cortex on brain imaging. These results indicate that it may be possible to predict patients who will develop prolonged significant dysphagia following acute stroke thereby facilitating referral for insertion of PEG at an earlier time point.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, North Terrace, SA 5000, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broadley
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Croser
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Creevy
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yiu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pathi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D003679:Deglutition; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011015:Pneumonia, Aspiration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult