Oropharyngeal dysphagia: screening and assessment

Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2013 Dec;46(6):989-1008. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2013.08.004. Epub 2013 Oct 8.

Author

Affiliation

¹ Discipline of Speech Pathology, School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, 1 Discovery Drive, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden, 2333 ZA, The Netherlands. Electronic address: renee.speyer@jcu.edu.au.

PMID: 24262955
DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2013.08.004

Abstract

This article provides an overview of bedside screening and assessment tools in patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia including the diagnostic performance of screening tools; the gold standards in assessment of dysphagia (videofluoroscopic and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing); a variety of clinical assessment tools; patient self-evaluation questionnaires; and a list of supplementary methods. In addition, some methodologic issues are discussed, and the need for standardization of terminology, screening and assessment protocols, and the call for evidence-based clinical guidelines.

Keywords: Assessment; Diagnostic performance; Methodology; Oropharyngeal dysphagia; Quality of life; Reliability; Screening.

MeSH terms

Deglutition
Deglutition Disorders* / diagnosis
Deglutition Disorders* / etiology
Deglutition Disorders* / physiopathology
Deglutition Disorders* / psychology
Diagnosis, Oral
Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System
Humans
Mass Screening / methods*
Mouth Diseases* / complications
Mouth Diseases* / diagnosis
Mouth Diseases* / physiopathology
Pharyngeal Diseases* / complications
Pharyngeal Diseases* / diagnosis
Pharyngeal Diseases* / physiopathology
Quality of Life
Reproducibility of Results
Symptom Assessment / methods*