SAGE Open Nursing (Dec 2023)

Aspiration Risk Screening With Tongue Pressure Measurement in Acute Stroke: A Diagnostic Accuracy Study Using STARD Guidelines

  • Pál Tamás Szabó,
  • Viktória Műhelyi,
  • Tímea Halász,
  • Katalin Anna Béres-Molnár,
  • András Folyovich,
  • Zoltán Balogh

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608231219183
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Introduction Dysphagia can affect more than 50% of stroke patients in the acute phase. Aspiration pneumonia is a serious complication that can be prevented with dysphagia screening and assessment. Measurement of tongue elevation pressure is suggested to be a useful tool in aspiration risk screening. Objective This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of maximum anterior tongue elevation strength (P max ) in acute stroke care. Method In this prospective study, data were collected in a neurology department (stroke center) where patients formed a consecutive case series. The sample consisted of thirty stroke patients who failed an initial dysphagia screening. Patients underwent anterior tongue elevation strength measurement (index test) during bedside dysphagia assessment by a speech-language pathologist and flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (reference test) by an otorhinolaryngologist on the same day. Outcome variables (index values in kPa, reference values interpreted on the penetration-aspiration scale) were used for estimating measures of diagnostic accuracy in aspiration risk screening. Results Ten patients aspirated on instrumental evaluation. At the cut-off point of ≤ 34 kPa the analysis showed 90% sensitivity, 35% specificity, 41% positive predictive value, and 88% negative predictive value. The area under the curve (AUC) for P max was AUC = 0.700 (95% CI [0.500–0.900]). Conclusion Although individuals with low anterior tongue elevation strength tend to have a higher risk of aspiration, this variable alone is not capable of screening aspiration in acute stroke. In combination with a thorough noninstrumental bedside examination, it might have the potential to reduce the number of false positive cases. Further studies in this area would be worthwhile.