The predictive dysphagia score (PreDyScore) in the short- and medium-term post-stroke: a putative tool in PEG...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Dysphagia is a common complication following stroke, impacting patient recovery and quality of life.
• Identifying early predictors of persistent dysphagia is crucial for timely intervention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with persistent dysphagia one month after stroke.
• To develop a predictive score for persistent dysphagia in stroke patients.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 249 stroke patients was evaluated for dysphagia at 7 and 30 days post-admission.
• Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictive factors.
• A predictive score (PreDyScore) was formulated based on significant clinical variables.

Main Results:

• At 30 days, 36.76% of patients had persistent dysphagia.
• Factors significantly associated with dysphagia included age >74 years, TACI, mRS ≥3, malnutrition, and BMI ≥20.
• Multivariate analysis confirmed mRS ≥3 and BMI ≥20 as significant predictors. The PreDyScore demonstrated high sensitivity (67.03%) and specificity (95.65%).

Conclusions:

• Low body mass index (BMI <20) and high modified Rankin Scale (mRS ≥3) scores are easily measurable bedside predictors of persistent dysphagia.
• The PreDyScore is a reliable tool for predicting persistent dysphagia with high accuracy in clinical settings.