[Dysphagia severity scale].
A simple, broadly applicable, standardized dysphagia severity scale would be useful to standardize dysphagia evaluations, to monitor recovery and efficacy of treatment and to study the consequences of dysphagia. We developed a global Dysphagia Severity Scale (DSS) from videofluorographic swallowing studies which included subjective clinical ratings of functional swallowing. We rated laryngeal penetration/aspiration (P/A) and pharyngeal retention (PR), and then assessed methods for scoring severity of P/A and PR and for combining them in a global scale. Each method was tested by correlation with overall clinical severity ratings. The highest correlations were found by: 1) scoring P/A based on which foods were aspirated (no aspiration or penetration; penetration only; thin liquid aspiration; thick liquid, pudding, or chewed solid food aspiration; 2) scoring PR based on how much food was retained (none; minimal; moderate; severe); and 3) combining P/A and PR by taking the higher of the two scores as the final DSS rating. The final global DSS score and the clinical severity rating correlated well (r = 0.71). This proposed scale shows promise for rating global dysphagia severity.
Tohara
Haruka
H
Department of Gerodontology, Division of Gerontology and Gerodontology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
Palmer
Jeffrey B
JB
Reynolds
Kelly
K
Kuhlemeier
Keith V
KV
Palmer
Sara
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index