Authors: Ali El Solh Mifue Okada Abid Bhat Celestino Pietrantoni
Publish Date: 2003/08/02
Volume: 29, Issue: 9, Pages: 1451-1455
Abstract
Swallowing dysfunction was assessed by the detection of test material below the true vocal cords Aspiration was documented in 52 of the elderly and 36 of the control group P=02 No significant difference in the comorbidity index and the length of mechanical ventilation was found between aspirators and nonaspirators None of the control group had swallowing deficits after 2 weeks while 13 of the elderly participants showed persistent impairment in the swallowing reflex By multivariate analysis the preadmission functional status was the only determinant of a slowly resolving swallowing deficit hazard ratio 168 95 confidence interval 126–397 No postextubation aspiration pneumonia was identified in either group
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