SARS-CoV-2 and Dysphagia: A Retrospective Analysis of COVID-19 Patients with Swallowing Disorders.
Christopher Molino, Laura Bergantini, Silvia Santucci and 5 others
PMID 38782803WHAT IT FOUND
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with neurocognitive disorders or severe respiratory impairment were significantly more likely to develop dysphagia.
All patients without respiratory support were negative for swallowing disorders. This identifies high-risk groups needing early speech therapy screening.
Key findings
01Patients with neurocognitive disorders were significantly more likely to have dysphagia than those without.
02Dysphagia was strongly associated with moderate-to-severe respiratory impairment, with no dysphagia observed in patients who did not require oxygen support.
03Among the dysphagic cohort, the majority presented with moderate or severe swallowing disorders.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (n=43) limits generalizability. Retrospective design prevents establishing causality. Only two patients underwent instrumental evaluation (FEES), limiting detailed pathophysiological characterization. No formal validated dysphagia severity scale was used; severity was based on feeding mode.
Declared interests
Funded by Università degli Studi di Siena.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that respiratory severity alone causes dysphagia. The study found a significant association with neurocognitive disorders as well, suggesting that alertness and cognitive status are critical confounders in this population.