Status of dysphagia after ischemic stroke: A Korean nationwide study

Exploring the rules of related parameters in acupuncture for post-stroke dysphagia based on data mining

Background

Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) affects the efficacy and safety of swallowing, causing serious complications. Acupuncture is a promising and cost-effective treatment for PSD; however, as the number of randomized controlled trials increases, scientific analysis of the parameters and acupoint prescription is required. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of acupuncture on parameters related to post-stroke dysphagia (PSD).

Methods

We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature, and Chongqing VIP Database for randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for PSD in the last 15 years and relevant parameters were analyzed using data mining techniques.

Results

In total, 3,205 records were identified, of which 3,507 patients with PSD were included in 39 studies. The comprehensive analysis demonstrated that the closest parameter combinations of acupuncture on PSD were 0.25 mm × 40 mm needle size, 30 min retention time, five treatments per week, and a 4-week total course of treatment. Additionally, the gallbladder and nontraditional meridians, crossing points, and head and neck sites are the most commonly used acupoint parameters. The core acupoints identified were GB20, RN23, EX-HN14, Gongxue, MS6, SJ17, EX-HN12, EX-HN13, and the commonly used combination of EX-HN12, EX-HN13, GB20, and RN23.

Conclusion

This study analyzed the patterns of PSD-related needling and acupoint parameters to provide evidence-based guidelines for clinical acupuncturists in treating PSD, potentially benefitting affected patients.

Association between dysphagia and symptoms of depression and anxiety after ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Dysphagia is associated with poor outcome, higher mortality, reduced quality of life, and social isolation. We investigate the relationship between swallowing impairment and symptoms of anxiety and depression after ischemic stroke.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with ischemic stroke participating in the prospective STROKE-CARD Registry study from 2020 to 2022 were assessed for dysphagia on hospital admission (clinical swallowing assessment) and for persistence until discharge and 3-month follow-up (SINGER Independency Index). Anxiety and depression symptoms were recorded using Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at 3-month follow-up.

RESULTS

Of 648 patients, 19.3% had dysphagia on admission, persisting in 14.8% at discharge and 6.8% at 3-month follow-up. With the presence or duration of dysphagia (no dysphagia, dysphagia at baseline, at discharge, at 3 months), score (mean ± SD) increased on the BDI (7.9 ± 6.7, 12.5 ± 8.7, 13.5 ± 9.0, 16.5 ± 10.2), HADS-D (4.4 ± 3.7, 7.1 ± 4.2, 7.7 ± 4.4, 9.8 ± 4.3), and HADS-A (4.4 ± 3.5, 5.4 ± 3.6, 6.0 ± 3.6, 7.0 ± 3.6). In linear regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, diabetes, dementia, and either functional disability or stroke severity, BDI and HADS-D scores were significantly higher in patients with dysphagia across all points in time (admission, discharge, 3-month follow-up). An independent association with HADS-A scores was only evident in patients with persisting dysphagia after 3 months. Patients with dysphagia were more likely to receive antidepressants, antipsychotics, or benzodiazepines at discharge and 3-month follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Dysphagia after stroke is common and severely affects psychosocial functioning of individuals. Our results highlight swallowing impairment as an independent predictor for poststroke depressive and, to a lesser extent, anxiety symptoms.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Poststroke Dysphagia: A Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

In patients with stroke, poststroke dysphagia (PSD) is a common complication that plays an important role in morbidity and mortality. The aim of this paper was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of PSD using a systemic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for potentially eligible studies published until September 2023. Further, the pooled incidence and risk factors for PSD were determined using a random-effects model. Overall, 58 studies involving 37,404 patients with acute stroke were selected for the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The pooled incidence of PSD in patients with acute stroke was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 36-48%), which is the highest in South America (47%) and lowest in Asia (37%). Notably, older age (odds ratio [OR]: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.53-2.97; p < 0.001), hypertension (OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.06-1.44; p = 0.007), diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.04-1.44; p = 0.014), stroke history (OR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.04-1.53; p = 0.019), and atrial fibrillation (OR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.02-2.44; p = 0.039) were found to be associated with an increased risk of PSD. Conversely, sex differences, smoking, alcoholism, obesity, hyperlipidemia, ischemic heart disease, stroke type, and the hemisphere affected were not associated with the risk of PSD.

CONCLUSION

The abstract reports the prevalence of PSD in patients with acute stroke and identified potential risk factors for PSD, including older age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stroke history, and atrial fibrillation.

Risk factors for dysphagia in patients with acute and chronic ischemic stroke: A retrospective cohort study

Background

Dysphagia is a common and clinically significant complication of ischemic stroke. The prevalence and risk factors for dysphagia may vary at different stages following an ischemic stroke.

Methods

This study included patients with acute and chronic ischemic stroke who were treated at the Department of Rehabilitation, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from 2019 to 2022. Various demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were collected, and statistical analyses were performed to investigate their association with dysphagia.

Results

Among the 399 ischemic stroke patients included in the study, 165 (41.4 %) experienced dysphagia, with 72 (38.7 %) in the acute phase and 93 (43.7 %) in the chronic phase. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations (p < 0.05) between dysphagia and factors such as pulmonary infection, aphasia, NIHSS score, ADL score, NLR score, lower extremity Brunnstrom's stages, and sit-to-stand balance. Multiple logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for confounding factors, identified the ADL score as an independent predictor of dysphagia. These findings were consistent across three time-windows: the acute phase, the chronic phase, and 180 days after stroke onset. Additionally, the lymphocyte count and pulmonary infection were identified as potential independent indicators.

Conclusions

This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors for dysphagia in ischemic stroke patients at different time-windows. A low ADL score (<40) may serve as a valuable and reliable predictor for poststroke dysphagia in clinical settings.

Enteral tube nutrition for geriatric post-stroke dysphagia evaluation (ENGE) score to evaluate the risk of dysphagia after acute ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) is a common complication after stroke. Early PSD prediction is essential for patient stratification for intensive oral intake rehabilitation. We aimed to develop a PSD prediction score using clinical data obtained at admission.

METHODS

We examined consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke between 2018 and 2019. The dysphagia status 14 days after admission was assessed using the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS). PSD was defined as FOIS 1-3, which represents tube-dependent nutrition. Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, we constructed the Enteral tube Nutrition for Geriatric post-stroke dysphagia Evaluation (ENGE) score. The discriminative performance of the ENGE score was analyzed by receiver operating curve analysis. The reproducibility of the ENGE score was validated using patient data in 2020.

RESULTS

PSD developed in 84 of 488 patients (median age 78 years; 57% males). The ENGE score ranged from 0 to 6, with 1 point assigned for older age (≥78 years), 1 for high premorbid modified Rankin Scale (mRS) (≥1), 3 for high NIHSS score (≥12), and 1 for low serum albumin (<3.0 mg/dl). The area under the curve (AUC) of the ENGE score for discriminating PSD was 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-0.92), and a score of 3 or more had a higher positive likelihood ratio. In the validation cohort, the AUC of the ENGE score for PSD was 0.85 (95% CI 0.78-0.91), which was similar to the derivation cohort (p = 0.491).

CONCLUSIONS

The ENGE score predicts severe PSD after acute ischemic stroke with good reproducibility.

Research trends and hotspots of post-stroke dysphagia rehabilitation: a bibliometric study and visualization analysis

Background

Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) is one of the most prevalent stroke sequelae, affecting stroke patients' prognosis, rehabilitation results, and quality of life while posing a significant cost burden. Although studies have been undertaken to characterize the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and risk factors of post-stroke dysphagia, there is still a paucity of research trends and hotspots on this subject. The purpose of this study was to create a visual knowledge map based on bibliometric analysis that identifies research hotspots and predicts future research trends.

Methods

We searched the Web of Science Core Collection for material on PSD rehabilitation research from its inception until July 27, 2023. We used CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Bibliometrix R software packages to evaluate the annual number of publications, nations, institutions, journals, authors, references, and keywords to describe present research hotspots and prospective research orientations.

Results

This analysis comprised 1,097 articles from 3,706 institutions, 374 journals, and 239 countries or regions. The United States had the most publications (215 articles), and it is the most influential country on the subject. "Dysphagia" was the most published journal (100 articles) and the most referenced journal (4,606 citations). Highly cited references focused on the pathophysiology and neuroplasticity mechanisms of PSD, therapeutic modalities, rehabilitation tactics, and complications prevention. There was a strong correlation between the terms "validity" and "noninvasive," which were the strongest terms in PSD rehabilitation research. The most significant words in PSD rehabilitation research were "validity" and "noninvasive brain stimulation," which are considered two of the most relevant hotspots in the field.

Conclusion

We reviewed the research in the field of PSD rehabilitation using bibliometrics to identify research hotspots and cutting-edge trends in the field, primarily including the pathogenesis and neurological plasticity mechanisms of PSD, complications, swallowing screening and assessment methods, and swallowing rehabilitation modalities, and this paper can provide in the follow-up research in the field of PSD rehabilitation. The results of this study can provide insightful data for subsequent studies in the field of PSD rehabilitation.

Research hotspots and trends in post-stroke dysphagia: a bibliometric analysis

Background

Dysphagia represents one of the common complications following a stroke, and post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) can lead to aspiration, pneumonia, and malnutrition, thus prolonging hospital stay, escalating medical expenditures, and imposing a substantial economic strain on both patients and society. The utilization of bibliometric analysis offers a quantitative approach for investigating the existing literature and recognizes the current status of the research. However, bibliometric analysis on the subject of PSD remains absent. Consequently, we carried out this study to provide researchers with insights, facilitating their further exploration of PSD.

Methods

Conducting a bibliometric analysis of articles pertaining to PSD retrieved over the past two decades enables us to acquire the research hotspots and trends in this area. The publications concerning PSD were searched from the Core Collection of Web of Science, spanning the period ranging from 2003 to 2023. Articles or reviews published in English were included in this study. Subsequently, we employed CiteSpace and VOSviewer software to visualize the retrieved articles, thereby identifying the cooperative relationships of authors, institutions, and countries, as well as relevant information about journals and references.

Results

This study comprised 866 papers in total, and the number of articles published each year shows an overall growth trend. As for the analysis of the authors, Dziewas R. was the most prolific author with 21 articles. The most frequently published institutions, countries, and journals were the University of Manchester, China, and Dysphagia, with 28, 254, and 75 publications, respectively. And the co-cited authors and journals with the highest counts were Martino R and Stroke. According to the analysis of keywords and references, dysphagia screening and assessment, prevention of pneumonia, rehabilitation approaches, and nutritional management of PSD are considered research hotpots. Additionally, future research may focus on the topics of systematic review and meta-analysis, noninvasive brain stimulation, and lesion location.

Conclusion

Through the bibliometrics analysis of PSD, we can capture the research hotspots and frontiers of PSD, thereby providing inspiration and reference for subsequent studies in this field.

The assessment of dysphagia after stroke: state of the art and future directions

Dysphagia is a major complication following an acute stroke that affects the majority of patients. Clinically, dysphagia after stroke is associated with increased risk of aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, mortality, and other adverse functional outcomes. Pathophysiologically, dysphagia after stroke is caused by disruption of an extensive cortical and subcortical swallowing network. The screening of patients for dysphagia after stroke should be provided as soon as possible, starting with simple water-swallowing tests at the bedside or more elaborate multi-consistency protocols. Subsequently, a more detailed examination, ideally with instrumental diagnostics such as flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing or video fluoroscopy is indicated in some patients. Emerging diagnostic procedures, technical innovations in assessment tools, and digitalisation will improve diagnostic accuracy in the future. Advances in the diagnosis of dysphagia after stroke will enable management based on individual patterns of dysfunction and predisposing risk factors for complications. Progess in dysphagia rehabilitation are essential to reduce mortality and improve patients' quality of life after a stroke.

[Diagnostics and treatment of post-stroke dysphagia]

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke dysphagia is highly prevalent and leads to severe complications, such as aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition. Despite the high clinical relevance dysphagia management is heterogeneous and often inadequate.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this review article is to provide an overview of the diagnostic and treatment strategies for post-stroke dysphagia based on recent studies.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Narrative literature review.

RESULTS

Dysphagia screening should be performed as early as possible in every stroke patient, e.g., with a simple water swallowing test or a multiconsistency protocol. Subsequently, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is indicated in patients with abnormal screening results or existing risk factors for dysphagia. Dietary modifications, oral hygiene measures, and nutritional therapy can help reduce complications. Behavioral swallowing therapy or experimental therapies, such as neurostimulation procedures and pharmacological approaches aim to improve swallowing function and have shown promising results in studies.

CONCLUSION

Timely management of dysphagia is necessary to reduce complications.

Characteristics of post-stroke dysphagia: A retrospective study based on FEES

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the characteristics of dysphagia in stroke patients with different lesion sites and explore the factors that impact the duration of nasogastric tube after post-stroke dysphagia (PSD).

METHODS

Patients with PSD were screened for analysis. Stroke types and lesion sites were confirmed using MRI or CT scans. Included patients were categorized into two groups: supratentorial stroke group (including lobar and deep intracerebral stroke subgroups) and infratentorial stroke group (including brainstem and cerebellar stroke subgroups). Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), Penetration-aspiration scale (PAS), Yale pharyngeal residue (PR) severity rating scale, Functional oral intake scale (FOIS), Murray secretion severity rating scale (MSS), laryngopharyngeal sensation, and vocal fold mobility were investigated to assess the swallowing function.

RESULTS

A total of 94 patients were included in the final analysis. Significant differences were found in PR scores (p < .001), PAS scores (p < .05), MSS scores (p < .05), and vocal fold mobility (p < .001) between infratentorial and supratentorial stroke groups. Moreover, lobar stroke showed significantly higher PR scores compared to the deep intracerebral stroke group (p < .05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis indicated significant differences in the duration of nasogastric tube placement among the following groups: infratentorial versus supratentorial stroke, PAS ≤ 5 versus PAS > 5, PR ≥ 3 versus PR < 3, and normal vocal fold mobility versus vocal fold motion impairment group (p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The infratentorial stroke may lead to worse swallowing function as compared to a supratentorial stroke. Additionally, patients with infratentorial stroke, PAS > 5, PR ≥ 3, or vocal fold motion impairment may contribute to a longer duration of nasogastric tube placement.

Risk factors of dysphagia in patients with ischemic stroke: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Background

Dysphagia is a common yet serious complication in stroke patients. We aimed to conduct a meta-analysis and systematic review to evaluate the risk factors of dysphagia in patients with ischemic stroke, to provide insights to the clinical treatment and nursing care of dysphagia.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) for studies on dysphagia in patients with ischemic stroke up to January 31, 2022. The quality of the literature was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results

A total of 10 studies involving 4637 ischemic stroke patients were included, 1183(25.51%) patients had dysphagia after stroke. The synthesized outcomes showed that elder age (SMD = 0.42, 95%CI:0.34–0.50), hypertension (OR = 1.96, 95%CI:1.48–2.61), diabetes (OR = 1.83, 95%CI:1.47–2.28), brainstem stroke (OR = 2.12, 95%CI:1.45–3.09) were associated with dysphagia in patients with ischemic stroke (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the gender between dysphagia and no dysphagia patients (OR = 1.07, 95%CI:0.91–1.27, P = 0.40). Egger regression tests indicated there were no significant publication biases in the synthesized outcomes (all P>0.05).

Conclusions

Elder age, hypertension, diabetes and brainstem stroke are associated with the development of dysphagia in patients with ischemic stroke. Attention should be paid to the assessment and early intervention of those risk factors for dysphagia to improve the prognosis of stroke patients.