Dysphagia in Intensive Care Evaluation (DICE): An International Cross-Sectional Survey

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  • P. E. Spronk
  • Laura E.J. Spronk
  • Egerod, Ingrid Eugenie
  • J. McGaughey
  • Jackie McRae
  • Louise Rose
  • Martin B. Brodsky
  • M. B. Brodsky
  • L. Rose
  • J. Lut
  • P. Clavé
  • R. Nanchal
  • Y. Inamoto
  • J. I. van der Hoeven
  • P. E. Spronk
  • A. Freeman-Sanderson
  • M. Hiesmayr
  • C. Veraar
  • C. E. Hickmann
  • R. Gosselink
  • S. Gershman
  • S. Skoretz
  • R. Martino
  • M. Mpouzika
  • M. Cerny
  • V. Chrobok
  • L. Zeinerova
  • G. Kaldan
  • J. McRae
  • M. Bäcklund
  • T. Ramos
  • P. Nydahl
  • M. Kalafati
  • T. Andrews
  • R. Sperlinga
  • H. Katsukawa
  • F. Kasai
  • L. E.J. Spronk
  • A. Miles
  • J. McGaughey
  • S. Duncan
  • M. Fossum
  • V. Ágústdóttir
  • T. Senneset
  • M. Larsson
  • G. Hammond
  • R. Owczuk
  • S. Mestre
  • J. Merriweather
  • the DICE study investigators

Dysphagia occurs commonly in the intensive care unit (ICU). Despite the clinical relevance, there is little worldwide research on prevention, assessment, evaluation, and/or treatment of dysphagia for ICU patients. We aimed to gain insight into this international knowledge gap. We conducted a multi-center, international online cross-sectional survey of adult ICUs. Local survey distribution champions were recruited through professional and personal networks. The survey was administered from November 2017 to June 2019 with three emails and a final telephone reminder. Responses were received from 746 ICUs (26 countries). In patients intubated > 48 h, 17% expected a > 50% chance that dysphagia would develop. This proportion increased to 43% in patients intubated > 7 days, and to 52% in tracheotomized patients. Speech-language pathologist (SLP) consultation was available in 66% of ICUs, only 4% reported a dedicated SLP. Although 66% considered a routine post-extubation dysphagia protocol important, most (67%) did not have a protocol. Few ICUs routinely assessed for dysphagia after 48 h of intubation (30%) or tracheostomy (41%). A large proportion (46%) used water swallow screening tests to determine aspiration, few (8%) used instrumental assessments (i.e., flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing). Swallowing exercises were used for dysphagia management by 30% of ICUs. There seems to be limited awareness among ICU practitioners that patients are at risk of dysphagia, particularly as ventilation persists, protocols, routine assessment, and instrumental assessments are generally not used. We recommend the development of a research agenda to increase the quality of evidence and ameliorate the implementation of evidence-based dysphagia protocols by dedicated SLPs.

Original languageEnglish
JournalDysphagia
Volume37
Pages (from-to)1451–1460
ISSN0179-051X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

    Research areas

  • Critical care, Dysphagia, Intensive care, Survey, Swallowing

ID: 313868792