Screening for Swallowing Disorders in Patients With Poststroke Utilizing the Gugging Swallowing Screen and Its...

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS) in swallowing disorder screening of patients with poststroke and assess its adoption value in dietary management.

Swallowing function in 174 patients with poststroke was screened using the GUSS scale and the water swallow test (WST). Patients with swallowing disorders were randomly assigned to the observation group (OG) and the control group (CG). The CG received standard treatment and care, while the OG also underwent GUSS-based swallowing function assessment and a graded dietary management plan. The effectiveness of improvements in swallowing function, psychological health assessments, and the incidence of complications was compared.

The effect sizes (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM) of GUSS scale were markedly superior to those of WST (p < 0.05). OG exhibited a markedly higher rate of improvement in swallowing function versus CG (p < 0.05). Adverse events were markedly less frequent in OG versus CG (p < 0.05). Alb, PA, and TNF in OG were superior to those in CG after treatment (p < 0.05). The psychological function, physical function, social function, material life status scores, and overall quality of life (QoL) evaluation questionnaire scores of OG patients were superior to those in CG at discharge (p < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in OG was substantially inferior to that in CG (p < 0.05).

GUSS is an effective screening tool for identifying swallowing disorders in patients with poststroke. Swallowing dysfunction severity-based tailoring dietary management plans can markedly improve patients' swallowing function and lower the risk of swallowing-related complications.