A Pilot Study of a Modified Swallowing Screening Tool for Critically Ill Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

The lack of early assessment tools for swallowing function in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) may lead to delays in oral intake. This study assessed the effectiveness of a new bedside swallowing screening tool in detecting dysphagia in patients in the ICU or isolation settings, where isolation settings refer to conditions such as COVID-19, where patient mobility is limited. We assessed swallowing function in 13 patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. To ensure patient safety, a bedside preliminary investigation was performed to assess the patient's alertness level, and ultrasound findings of the vocal cords were obtained. Patients were nasogastric(NG) tube feeding or fasted if they did not meet a certain readiness level. Additionally, patients who passed the preliminary investigation underwent methylene blue dye or citric acid swallowing tests if they had or had not undergone tracheostomy, respectively. The Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS) test was used to determine whether an oral diet was appropriate. Of the 13 patients, 1 failed to meet the criteria during the preliminary examination, and 12 underwent the examination and initiated oral intake. Significant differences were found in the GUSS scores between the tracheostomy and non-tracheostomy groups but not in the examination validity. NG tube was implemented if the examination criteria were not met at each stage. Patients who passed the newly developed dysphagia screening tool exhibited no aspiration symptoms post-oral feeding initiation, enabling their discharge. In conclusion, the proposed screening test can be performed safely and easily, allowing for early dysphagia detection, reduced aspiration risk, and safe oral feeding in patients in the ICU or isolation settings.