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Incidence of Pneumonia After Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study and Associated Factors

Dysphagia volume 31, pages 41–48 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

Pneumonia after videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) is sometimes considered to be caused by aspiration during VFSS; however, to our knowledge, a relationship between these events has not been clearly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of VFSS-related pneumonia and related factors. Overall, 696 VFSS cases were retrospectively reviewed. Cases in which blood culture was performed within 3 days after VFSS due to newly developed infectious signs were considered as post-VFSS infection cases. Pneumonia was suspected when there was some evidence of respiratory infectious signs in clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings. The underlying disease, clinical signs, and VFSS findings of the pneumonia group were assessed. Among 696 cases, pneumonia was diagnosed in 15 patients. The patients in the pneumonia group tended to be older and had higher aspiration rate on VFSS than those in the non-pneumonia group. In the pneumonia group, 2 patients showed no aspiration during VFSS. In 6 patients, pneumonia developed after massive aspiration of gastric content in 5 patients and inappropriate oral feeding with risk of aspiration before VFSS in 1 patient. Only 7 patients (1.0 %) were finally determined as having VFSS-related pneumonia. In conclusion, the 72-h incidence of VFSS-related pneumonia was 1.0 %. Old age and severity of swallowing difficulty are associated with occurrence of pneumonia.

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by 2013 Kangwon National University Hospital Grant.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kangwon National University Hospital, Baengnyeong-ro 156, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 24289, South Korea

    Hannae Jo MD, David Min MD, Hee-won Park MD, MA, Eun Kyoung Kang MD, PhD, Kun-Jai Lee MD & Sora Baek MD, PhD

  2. Gangwon-do Rehabilitation Hospital, Chuncheon, South Korea

    Jung-Gyoo Park MD & Hee-won Park MD, MA

  3. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Kangwon National University School of Medicine, Chuncheon, South Korea

    Eun Kyoung Kang MD, PhD, Kun-Jai Lee MD & Sora Baek MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Hannae Jo MD
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  2. Jung-Gyoo Park MD
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  3. David Min MD
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  4. Hee-won Park MD, MA
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  5. Eun Kyoung Kang MD, PhD
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  6. Kun-Jai Lee MD
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  7. Sora Baek MD, PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sora Baek MD, PhD.

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Jo, H., Park, JG., Min, D. et al. Incidence of Pneumonia After Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study and Associated Factors. Dysphagia 31, 41–48 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-015-9656-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-015-9656-8

Keywords

  • Videofluoroscopic swallowing study
  • Deglutition
  • Dysphagia
  • Fever
  • Pneumonia
  • Aspirations