Utility of Clinical Swallowing Examination Measures for Detecting Aspiration Post-Stroke

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the utility of clinical swallowing examination (CSE) measures for detecting aspiration as defined by videofluoroscopic swallowing examination (VFSE). This study, involving 165 participants, is a follow-up to a previously published investigation of 60 participants. Findings are compared with that investigation as well as with other research on CSEs. The results suggest that clinicians can make an accurate judgment of the occurrence of aspiration in most poststroke patients. However, ruling out aspiration when it is absent appears more problematic. More work needs to be done if data collected from noninstrumented examinations are to be strongly predictive of the presence and absence of aspiration on VFSE. At present, there are no data to suggest that CSEs can be used to quantify aspiration or make adequate recommendations regarding patient care. (Contains 6 tables and 2 figures.)