Evaluating Dysphagia in Acute Stroke Patients

Patients with acute stroke admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or stroke unit at University Hospital Münster between 12/2021 and 02/2022, in whom FEES was indicated according to our in-house standard (i.e., failure of swallowing screening test or symptoms predictive of dysphagia e.g., severe dysarthria, aphasia, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] > 9) were prospectively included in the study. Patients were excluded if prior strokes or other premorbid conditions associated with dysphagia were known. As part of the review process, the number of patients that dropped out before study incusion were retrospectively recored and illustrated in a flow-diagram. All patients underwent FEES in the acute stage of disease including two different sensory test procedures according to the protocols described below. The following clinical data were recorded during acute hospitalization: type of stroke, aetiology of stroke, stroke severity (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS], Modified Rankin Scale [mRS]), therapeutic interventions, lesion location, intensive care interventions (intubation and tracheotomy), complications (pneumonia, death), and length of stay in the ICU/stroke unit and in the hospital overall. The study design was approved by the local ethics committee.