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Meta-Analysis
. 2012 Mar;43(3):869-71.
doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.111.638254. Epub 2011 Dec 8.

Swallowing screens after acute stroke: a systematic review

Sara K Schepp  1 , David L Tirschwell, Robert M Miller, W T Longstreth Jr
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Swallowing screens after acute stroke: a systematic review

Sara K Schepp et al. Stroke. 2012 Mar.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Swallowing screens after acute stroke identify those patients who do not need a formal swallowing evaluation and who can safely take food and medications by mouth. We conducted a systematic review to identify swallowing screening protocols that met basic requirements for reliability, validity, and feasibility.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE and supplemented results with references identified through other databases, journal tables of contents, and bibliographies. All relevant references were reviewed and evaluated with specific criteria.

Results: Of 35 protocols identified, 4 met basic quality criteria. These 4 had high sensitivities of ≥87% and high negative predictive values of ≥91% when a formal swallowing evaluation was used as the gold standard. Two protocols had greater sample sizes and more extensive reliability testing than the others.

Conclusions: We identified only 4 swallowing screening protocols for patients with acute stroke that met basic criteria. Cost-effectiveness of screening, including costs associated with false-positive results and impact of screening on morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay, requires elucidation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Selection of swallowing-screening protocols for review
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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