2008 Volume 12 Issue 2 Pages 101-108
【Purpose】We conducted videoendoscopic evaluation of swallowing (VE) in visiting dental treatments, then investigated the problem of nutrition and the effect of immediate intervention of VE for in-home or nursing-home dysphagia patients.
【Subjects and Methods】We conducted VE for 265 dysphasia patients (139 males, 126 females, average age 75.5). Nutrition was evaluated as：tube feeding (T), tube feeding ＞ oral feeding (T＞O), tube feeding ＜ oral feeding (T＜O), oral feeding needing safe adjustments (Oa), and oral feeding not needing adjustment (O). The present nutrition and recommended nutrition by VE were compared. The relationships between nutrition and the past existence of aspiration pneumonia were investigated.
【Results】(1) Most of the subjects were recommended to raise nutrition levels from T to T＞O. Most of the subjects with low nutrition levels were recommended to raise the level from O to Oa. (2) Many subjects who were recommended to raise the level from T to T＞O had past aspiration pneumonia. Some of the subjects who were recommended to raise the level from O or Oa to T＞O or T had past aspiration pneumonia.
【Discussion】 (1) There were many dysphagia patients whose nutrition disagreed with their present swallowing functions, and they were overestimated or underestimated. (2) The selection of nutrition was considered to be decided by not the present swallowing function but their past aspiration pneumonia.
