Characteristics Associated with COVID-19 Related Dysphagia

Objective(s): To investigate the underlying characteristics of the presenting oropharyngeal dysphagia in patients treated for COVID-19.Data Sources: A chart review of 39 patients with complications of COVID-19 and referred to the Speech department was completed. The patient's age, duration of intubation, presence of dysphagia, and diet recommendation was analyzed.Study Selection: Charts were reviewed from all adult units. Patients with prior history of neurological deficits or dysphagia were excluded.Data Extraction: The presence of dysphagia and diet recommendations were based on findings from a clinical swallowing evaluation. PO trials were administered and patients’ oropharyngeal stages of deglutition were assessed.

Median (IQR) or frequency count (%) were reported for the patients’ characteristics. Wilcoxon two sample test or Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare two or more groups. Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test were used to observe statistical significance. Results were considered as statistically significant if corresponding p-value < 0.05.Data Synthesis: Findings revealed that endotracheal intubation and aging were characteristics of resultant COVID-19 dysphagia. Further, a higher proportion of intubated patients required NPO than non-intubated patients. Patients who required NPO status had higher median age than patients with PO diets. The median duration of intubation was higher for patients recommended to be NPO as compared to patients placed on a PO diet. We also observe smaller duration of intubation for recommended diet category ‘Thin’ and ‘Thick’ than that of patients with NPO status, which indicates that there can be positive association between duration of intubation and the severity of patients’ condition for dysphagia.

Conclusions: Endotracheal intubation was found to be a characteristic in those individuals presenting with an oral and pharyngeal dysphagia. However, almost half of the individuals analyzed did not require intubation but nevertheless presented with a dysphagia. Future research, should investigate sarcopenia as characteristic for COVID related dysphagia.Author(s) Disclosures: Nothing to disclose.