Risk factors for dysphagia after stroke and efficacy evaluation of swallowing function training

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Stroke is a leading cause of acquired dysphagia.
• Dysphagia significantly impacts patient quality of life and increases aspiration risk.
• Identifying independent risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify independent risk factors for post-stroke dysphagia.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of a standardized multimodal swallowing function training program.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 300 stroke patients (142 with dysphagia) were analyzed.
• Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and Water Swallowing Test (WST) were utilized.
• Multimodal training included neuromuscular electrical stimulation, tongue resistance, and cold stimulation over 4 weeks.

Main Results:

• Independent risk factors for dysphagia included VFSS score, UES openness, PCR, age, muscle strength ≤3, and NIHSS ≥10.
• The training program achieved a 92.25% effective rate, significantly improving SSA and WST scores.
• High patient compliance (87.32%) and satisfaction (92.96%) were reported with minimal adverse reactions.

Conclusions:

• Standardized multimodal swallowing training shows preliminary efficacy in improving post-stroke dysphagia.
• Further large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm findings due to study design limitations.