Intensified post-stroke care improves long-term dysphagia recovery after acute ischemic stroke: Results from the STROKE CARD trial.

INTRODUCTION

Dysphagia is common after acute ischemic stroke and entails considerable morbidity and mortality. Here, we investigated the impact of intensified care on swallowing recovery after stroke.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this secondary analysis of STROKE-CARD, a randomized intervention trial of intensified post-stroke care, dysphagia was assessed by speech therapists at admission for acute ischemic stroke, at hospital discharge, and after 12-months. Patients randomized to STROKE-CARD care additionally received a detailed dysphagia follow-up at 3-months, including a standardized dysphagia examination, instructions on further exercises and compensation mechanisms and, if necessary, referral for further speech therapy.

RESULTS

Dysphagia was present initially after stroke in 236 (16.6%; median age 82 (73-88), 44.1% female) of 1419 patients, with similar prevalence in both study groups at hospital admission ( = 0.239) and discharge ( = 0.870). At follow up, 14 (9.5%) of 147 in the intervention group and 18 (20.2%) of 89 in the control group suffered from persistent dysphagia ( = 0.020). There was better dysphagia recovery in the intervention group also under multivariable adjustment for age, sex, functional disability at 12-months, severe dysphagia at hospitalization, mode of feeding, cognitive impairment, thrombolysis, and stroke localization (odds ratio, 0.41, 95% confidence interval: 0.17 to 0.96).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Intensified post-stroke care improved dysphagia recovery within 1 year after acute ischemic stroke, highlighting the potential of targeted interventions for enhancing stroke outcomes.