Abstract
Intro: Guidelines advocate screening all acute stroke patients for dysphagia. However, limited data are available regarding how many patients with mild presentation fail initial screening. We sought to evaluate the rates and predictors of dysphagia screening failure in mild acute ischemic stroke patients (NIHSS < 5). Methods: Using GWTG stroke registry data from three large comprehensive stroke centers in the Northeast, South and West, we analyzed 8,687 stroke admissions from 06/2008 - 12/2018. Patients with mild stroke (NIHSS<5) were identified and dysphagia failure rate was evaluated. Using univariate and multivariable regression (MV) analysis (using factors with p<0.1, in bold), we evaluated factors associated with dysphagia screen failure in mild stroke patients. Results: Of the 8,687 patients, 3,614 (41%) had NIHSS < 5. Dysphagia screening failure was seen in 30.2% in the entire cohort while only 10.3% (373/3,614) in patients with NIHSS < 5. Mild stroke patients who failed dysphagia screening were older, more often had stroke risk factors of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, CAD/MI. They had higher median NIHSS and more often had language disturbance on presentation. Patients who failed dysphagia screening were less likely to be discharged home. On MV analysis, age (1.01, 95% 1.00, 1.02), hypertension (1.45, 95% 1.10, 1.91), NIHSS (1.62 95% 1.48, 1.77) and language disturbance at presentation (1.89 95% 1.13, 2.32) were significantly associated with initial dysphagia. Conclusion: Dysphagia screen failure rates are significantly less frequent in patients with mild symptoms and even lower for those with NIHSS of 0-1 at presentation. Factors associated with failure - older age, higher NIHSS and language disturbance at presentation may help focus efforts to avoid complications in these patients who might otherwise do well. This focused approach of screening patients all patients but targeting mild patients with dysphagia may hold potential for improved outcomes.
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