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The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the predictive value of oropharyngeal secretions by use of 5-point and modified 3-point secretion scales for aspiration of food or liquid and diet recommendation outcomes. One hundred consecutive patients and 4 control subjects participated. The 5-point secretion severity scale correlated highly to aspiration (Spearman's rho = .516, p < .0001) and to diet recommendation outcomes (Spearman's rho = .72, p < .0001). Patients who received tube feedings were more likely to demonstrate a higher secretion level than patients who received oral feedings (Pearson chi squared analysis value = 25.461, p < .0001). Patients with a tracheotomy tube tended to demonstrate higher secretion levels than patients without a tracheotomy tube (Spearman's rho = .446, p < .0001). The relationship of the 3-point secretion severity scale level with aspiration was .488, p < .0001 (Spearman's rho), and that with diet recommendation outcomes was .746, p < .0001 (Spearman's rho).

Weconducted a prospe ctive, descriptive study of40 tracheotom ized patients to investigate the relationships between (1) levels of accumulated oropharyngeal secretions and laryngeal penetration/aspiration status, (2) secretion levels and tube-o cclusion status, and (3) tube-occlusion status and aspiration status .Assessments ofsecretion status were quantifi ed with the use ofa 5-point rating scale. All evaluations were made by fib eroptic endoscop ic evaluation of swallowing. Wefound that pati ents with higher secretion levels were more likely to aspirate than were patients with lower secretion levels. Als o, patients who tolerated pla cement of a tube cap had the lowest mean secretion level, and thos e who tolerated only light fin ger occlusion had the highest; likewise, most patients with normal secretion levels tolerated a capped tube, and a plurality ofpatients with profound secretion levels tolerated only light fing er occlusion. Finally, no significant differences were observed with respe ct to occlusion status and aspiration rates.

The results of the current investigation suggest that the MEBD, at best, should be viewed only as a screening tool for the presence of gross amounts of aspiration in patients with a tracheostomy.