Age better discriminates early dysphagia than cough function, respiratory muscle strength, or trunk control after mild stroke.
Monique Messaggi-Sartor, Anna Guillén-Solà, David Blanco and 1 others
PMID 41869691WHAT IT FOUND
After mild stroke, age was the best marker of early swallowing problems.
Patients with dysphagia averaged 70.0 years, those without 61.4 years. Cough flow, breathing muscle strength and trunk control did not separate them on their own.
Key findings
01In this mild stroke sample, patients with dysphagia were older: mean 70.0 years versus 61.4 years without dysphagia.
02Age was the only variable significantly associated with dysphagia in the multivariable analysis (OR = 1.09).
03The best age cutoff identified was 64.5 years, with sensitivity 83.9% and specificity 56.0%.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was mainly mild ischemic stroke with good cognitive status, so it may not apply to more severe stroke or cognitive impairment. Only 30 patients had dysphagia, and most had lower dysphagia severity. The multivariable analysis used 99 patients with complete data, not all 114. The study used routine-care assessments and no research-specific randomisation, so it cannot show cause. The 64.5-year cutoff was from a single centre and needs confirmation before changing practice. Cough flow was lower in dysphagia but did not remain associated in the model, so it cannot be used alone.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were declared. AI tools were used for language editing and clarity, and the authors reviewed and approved the final content.
The easy way to misread this
Do not start screening for dysphagia by age alone or use the 64.5-year cutoff as a clinical rule. The study was observational, the cutoff came from one mild-stroke sample, and the authors say larger studies are needed before changing practice.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →