FEES ability to detect dysphagia therapeutic-induced changes in patients with sub-acute brain damage

Abstract

Objective: Neuropsychological (NPS) abilities are frequently compromised in patients with acute brain damage, conditioning oral feeding. The aims of this study are to document, using FEES, an improvement of swallowing and NPS abilities after treatment and a possible correlation between them. Methods:Patients with swallowing and NPS disorders were retrospectively evaluated during 2004 and 2005, 14 days after a traumatic brain injury or cerebral vascular accident. All the patients underwent a FEES assessment to determine the severity of dysphagia (p-score. p-SCA score) and evaluation of attentive, mnesic, perceptive, executive, intellective and linguistic functions using standardized paper-pen and/or PC protocols.Results: A sample of 235 consecutive in-patients (mean age 59.8;148M/87F) was considered: all underwent swallowing therapy and 98 underwent NPS therapy. The p-score and the p-SCA score and all the NPS scores were significantly reduced after 60 days. Patients with a p-score ≥ 8 and p-SCA ≥ 9 showed a correlation with attention, memory and executive functions.Conclusions: FEES seems adequate in detect therapeutic-induced modifications of swallowing abilities. A correlation between swallowing and NPS changes can be postulated.