LAUSR

BACKGROUND Swallowing disorder or dysphagia is quite common in hospitalized patients. Using Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) is one of the clinical standards for evaluating swallowing disorder to prevent serious consequences such as aspiration pneumonia. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the associated risk of dysphagia in hospitalized patients by using FEES finding METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the FEES records from the patients who were screened and suspected of swallowing problems by a certified nurse of dysphagia nursing (CNDN). The FEES findings were compared between dysphagia and without dysphagia to evaluate the associated risk of dysphagia. RESULTS Six-hundred and nine FEES records were analyzed. We found dysphagia 76% in patients who suspected swallowing problems by CNDN. FEES was assessed after the subjects had been admitted for 22 days on average. There was no difference in age between dysphagia and without dysphagia participants. However, the advanced age (age > 85 years old) increased the odd of dysphagia 1.18, P = 0.03. The primary disease of the subjects was mainly cerebrovascular disease (24%) and pneumonia (22%). Abnormal FEES findings including soft palate elevation, velopharyngeal contraction, whiteout, volitional cough, glottis closure during breath-holding, cough reflex, and presence of secretion in pharynx were found in hospitalized patients with dysphagia. CONCLUSION The prevalence of dysphagia was high in hospitalized patients. Hence, screening the swallowing problem by nurse and FEES evaluation is essential to detect and prevent the complication in the patient who has dysphagia.