| Objective:Elderly post-stroke patients with dysphagia are particularly vulnerable to stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP).A retrospective evaluation was undertaken to explore the risk factors of SAP.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed the patients' database from rehabilitation department to identify ischemic stroke patients within 1 year who developed dysphagia after stroke,but were free of other confounding conditions affecting swallowing.Of the 297 screened,148 met the study criteria.We assessed the effects of age,sex,dysarthria,nasogastric feeding,aspiration pneumonia,stroke subtype,diabetes,atrial fibrillation,modified Barthel index,and lymphocyte counts in a logistic regression analysis.Results:In a multivariate analysis,aspiration detected on a clinical water swallowing evaluation,male gender,age≥75years,diabetes,atrial fibrillation,and lymphocyte counts were independent risk factors of SAP in elderly post-stroke patients with dysphagia (P<0.05 for all).Further,dysarthria and nasogastric feeding were the influecing factors of SAP in elderly post-stroke patients with dysphagia (P<0.01 or <0.05).Conclusion:Risk factors influencing SAP identified in this study can help advance screening methodologies and the prevention of SAP in elderly post-stroke patients with dysphagia. |
