Screening for Swallowing Problems in Patients Following Prolonged Intubation: Validation of the Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test (TOR-BSST©)

University Health Network, Toronto

Status: Completed

Conditions: Dysphagia

Treatments: Other: Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test (TOR-BSST©); Procedure: Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01411306

110957

Details and patient eligibility

About

Despite medical advances, half of the patients admitted to hospital for recovery from acute illness, injury or surgery have swallowing difficulties and those requiring tubes for breathing support are at even greater risk. Difficulties with swallowing decrease patients' quality of life, prolong their hospital stay, as well as lead to medical complications such as pneumonia, malnutrition and death. Presently, there is no screening test for swallowing difficulties in patients who have required respiratory support. Screening will allow for early detection of swallowing problems which is important to prevent serious complications, such as pneumonia. This research will determine the accuracy of a new screening test, the Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test (TOR-BSST©) previously tested with stroke patients, to predict the presence of swallowing difficulties in patients who have required breathing support for longer than 48 hours. The investigators will enroll 100 patients from the intensive care medical surgical units at the University Health Network. The findings from this research will help identify those patients with swallowing problems earlier than it is currently possible. Once identified, at risk patients will be referred to a speech language pathologist swallowing expert for more comprehensive testing; thereby, decreasing their risk of experiencing serious complications, such as pneumonia, secondary to swallowing problems.

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults 18+ years
• Inpatient at University Health Network, in any of the medical-surgical intensive care units, regardless of disease type, comorbidities or previous medical history
• Received endotracheal intubation lasting 48 hours or longer

Exclusion criteria

• History of one or more of the following: neurological disorder, surgery to the head or neck, previous oropharyngeal dysphagia, tracheotomy in situ or dementia

Trial design

100 participants in 1 patient group

Med/Surg ICU Inpatients, Intubated ≥ 48 hours

Treatment:

Procedure: Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study

Other: Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test (TOR-BSST©)