LAUSR

BACKGROUND Dysphagia is a common manifestation after stroke and seems to play a major role in clinical and functional outcomes. OBJECTIVES To identify clinical predictors of higher degrees of dysphagia, as well as assess its burden in our hospital, in order to understand how to improve the approach to this symptom. METHODS We included 311 patients admitted in an acute stroke unit in a year-long period. The relationship of dysphagia with different outcomes, both in acute phase and within the first year after stroke, were investigated. RESULTS Using the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, NIHSS score at admission was positively correlated with the degree of dysphagia (r = 0,783; p <  0,001) and total anterior circulation infarcts and age (>  70 years) were also associated with higher risk of dysphagia (p <  0.001). During hospitalization both respiratory infections and mortality occurred at significantly higher rates for dysphagic patients (p <  0.001) and we observed an increasing trend towards a higher mortality rate, the higher the degree of dysphagia. These patients stayed longer in the stroke unit, with less chance to be discharged home and more frequently transferred to inpatient rehabilitation care. One year after admission, dysphagic patients were more frequently readmitted due to pneumonia and we observed a higher mortality rate compared to patients without dysphagia (p <  0.001). CONCLUSION The presence of the above-mentioned dysphagia predictive factors should alert us to the need for an early approach, starting in the stroke unit, but also after discharge, taking into account its impact on clinical outcomes, mortality and healthcare costs.