Measurement of Oxygen Desaturation Is Not Useful for the Detection of Aspiration in Dysphagic Stroke Patients.

Background: Dysphagia is one of the most dangerous symptoms of acute stroke. Various screening tools have been suggested for the early detection of this condition. In spite of conflicting results, measurement of oxygen saturation (SpO2) during clinical swallowing assessment is still recommended by different national guidelines as a screening tool with a decline in SpO2 ≥2% usually being regarded as a marker of aspiration.

Evaluation of a Semiquantitative Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Method for Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Positive Blood Cultures.

With the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria, rapid identification of the pathogen and its individual antibiotic resistance is crucial to ensure adequate antiinfective treatment at the earliest time point. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry for the identification of bacteria directly from the blood culture bottle has been widely established; however, there is still an urgent need for new methods that permit rapid resistance testing. Recently, a semiquantitative MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry-based method for the prediction of antibiotic resistance was described.

Levodopa responsiveness of dysphagia in advanced Parkinson's disease and reliability testing of the FEES-Levodopa-test.

Background: It is still controversially discussed whether central dopaminergic stimulation improves swallowing ability in Parkinson's disease (PD). We evaluated the effect of oral levodopa application on dysphagia in advanced PD patients with motor fluctuations.

Methods: In 15 PD patients (mean age 71.

Electrical pharyngeal stimulation for dysphagia treatment in tracheotomized stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: Treatment of post-stroke dysphagia is notoriously difficult with different neurostimulation strategies having been employed with a variable degree of success. Recently, electrical pharyngeal stimulation (EPS) has been shown to improve swallowing function and in particular decrease airway aspiration in acute stroke. We performed a randomized controlled trial to assess EPS effectiveness on swallowing function in severely dysphagic tracheotomized patients.

Standardized endoscopic swallowing evaluation for tracheostomy decannulation in critically ill neurologic patients.

Objectives: Decisions regarding tracheostomy tube removal after mechanical ventilation often depend on the physician's individual experience because evidence-based practice guidelines are still scarce, especially for critically ill neurologic patients. In these patients, the prevalence of aspiration is high and regarded as an important contributor to decannulation failure. The presence of severe neurological deficits may, however, give clinicians the subjective impression that a tracheostomy tube is still necessary although decannulation may actually be safe.

Dysphagia in patients with acute striatocapsular hemorrhage.

Dysphagia is found in up to 80% of acute stroke patients. To date most studies have focused on ischemic stroke only. Little is known about the incidence and pattern of dysphagia in hemorrhagic stroke.

Endoscopic characteristics and levodopa responsiveness of swallowing function in progressive supranuclear palsy.

Dysphagia is a frequent and early symptom in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) predisposing patients to aspiration pneumonia. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) has emerged as a valuable apparative tool for objective evaluation of neurogenic dysphagia. This is the first study using FEES to investigate the nature of swallowing impairment in PSP.

Dysphagia in X-linked bulbospinal muscular atrophy (Kennedy disease).

Dysphagia in X-linked bulbospinal muscular atrophy (Kennedy disease) has never been characterized in detail by objective swallowing studies. We assessed the nature of swallowing impairment in Kennedy disease by undertaking fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing examinations of 10 genetically confirmed patients with Kennedy disease who were scored according to an ordinal rating scale including 25 different items. The results were compared to an age-matched control group of 10 healthy volunteers.

Towards a basic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing in acute stroke - identification of salient findings by the inexperienced examiner.

Background: Dysphagia is common after stroke. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is a powerful tool for dysphagia assessment. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a previously established endoscopic examination protocol based on the identification of typical findings indicative of stroke - related dysphagia may be learned and adopted by clinicians so far inexperienced in this field.

The safety of fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing in acute stroke patients.

Background And Purpose: Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is an excellent method for the accurate examination of swallowing function in the acute phase of stroke. The present study investigates the safety of FEES related to patients characteristics in a setting of acute stroke care.

Methods: A prospective study of FEES-associated complications was carried out in 300 acute stroke patients over a 1-year period.

Do nasogastric tubes worsen dysphagia in patients with acute stroke?

Background: Early feeding via a nasogastric tube (NGT) is recommended as safe way of supplying nutrition in patients with acute dysphagic stroke. However, preliminary evidence suggests that NGTs themselves may interfere with swallowing physiology. In the present study we therefore investigated the impact of NGTs on swallowing function in acute stroke patients.