Interventions to prevent aspiration pneumonia in older adults: a systematic review

Development and Validation of a Prediction Model for Dysphagia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Objectives. Dysphagia is a geriatric syndrome, which may lead to complications such as dehydration, malnutrition, aspiration, pneumonia, and a significant reduction in quality of life. The purpose of this study was to construct and validate a prediction model for dysphagia in community-dwelling older adults and provide an assessment tool for the prevention and control of dysphagia. Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. The community-dwelling Chinese older adults. Participants. 3655 participants aged 65 years and older were involved, who were randomly divided into the training set and the validation set. Methods. Data were collected and analyzed from June 2022 to September 2022. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify independent risk factors for dysphagia. We applied R software to develop a nomogram model to predict dysphagia in community-dwelling older adults. The predictive value of the model was assessed by the area under the ROC curve (AUC), the calibration curve was used to evaluate the reliability of the nomogram model for predicting dysphagia in community-dwelling older adults. The model's clinical utility was further evaluated using a Decision Curve Analysis (DCA). Results. The incidence of dysphagia was 11.8% (320/3655). Maximum tongue pressure, number of molars, pneumonia, ADL, sarcopenia, age, neurological diseases, and rheumatic immune diseases were selected as risk predictors for dysphagia. The prediction model demonstrated fair discriminative ability with the AUC was 0.709 (95%CI: 0.679-0.739) in the training set and 0.693 (95%Cl: 0.640-0.747) in the validation set, the calibration is adequate, and the Hosmer and Lemeshow test showed p values of 0.163 and 0.415, respectively. The DCA curve of our model shows a positive clinical net benefit. Conclusions. The prediction model established in this study was of a certain predictive value for the risk of dysphagia in community-dwelling older adults. By estimating the likelihood of future outcomes or the onset of certain diseases, it can assist medical personnel in formulating preventive strategies, lessening the workload of nurses, and also diminishing the financial burden on patients, thereby enhancing their overall quality of life.

Association between new insertion of a long-term enteral feeding tube and mortality in adults admitted to the hospital with aspiration: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to describe the association between insertion of a new long-term enteral feeding tube during admission for aspiration and in-hospital mortality.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study across 28 Canadian hospitals from 2015 to 2022 included consecutive patients who were admitted for aspiration. Patients were categorized based on new long-term enteral feeding tube insertion during hospital stay or not. The primary outcome was the time to death in hospital. Secondary outcomes included time to discharge alive and hospital readmission for aspiration within 90 days. We used propensity score weighting to balance covariates, and a competing risk model to describe in-hospital death and discharge.

RESULTS

Of 12,850 patients admitted for aspiration, 852 (6.6%) patients received a long-term enteral feeding tube. In the hospital, 184 (21.6%) and 2489 (20.8%) patients in the enteral feeding tube group and no enteral feeding tube group died, respectively. Within 90 days of discharge, 127 (14.9%) and 1148 (9.6%) patients in the enteral feeding tube and no enteral feeding tube group were readmitted for aspiration, respectively. After balancing covariates, an enteral feeding tube was associated with a similar in-hospital mortality risk (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.89-1.23; P = 0.5800), longer time to discharge alive (sHR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.54-0.63; P < 0.0001), and a higher risk of readmission (risk difference = 5.0%, 95% CI = 2.4%-7.6%; P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Initiation of long-term enteral tube feeding was not uncommon after admission for aspiration and was not associated with an improvement in the probability of being discharged alive from the hospital or readmitted for aspiration.

Dysphagia and Diets in Skilled Nursing Facilities When Patient's Health Status Changes: The Role of Imaging

OBJECTIVES

Research suggests that clinical decision making for assessing and treating patients with swallowing dysfunction varies significantly, and decisions may harm patients. The study aimed to investigate clinical practice of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) assessing and treating swallowing in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).

DESIGN

Retrospective review of 120 medical records of patients recommended for a flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES).

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

120 SNF patients.

METHODS

Records from 25 SNFs were reviewed to determine which patients were receiving swallowing therapy, their diet level pre- and post-FEES, and if they received prior imaging studies. Recordings of FEES were assigned severity ratings based on the Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity-FEES scores to determine the relationship between diet and liquid recommendations before and after FEES, how often patients consume a modified diet in the absence of dysphagia, percentage of patients without dysphagia receiving swallowing treatment, percentage of patients receiving alternative means of nutrition without dysphagia, and the percentage of patients with a feeding tube without an imaging assessment.

RESULTS

Chi-square tests revealed no agreement between pre- and postimaging diet levels. Ordinal regressions indicated preimaging diets did not fit the DIGEST severity rating model; however, investigators found a good fit with postimaging diet recommendations. Descriptive statistics indicated that 67% of the patients receiving a modified solid and/or liquid did not have dysphagia. Treatment was provided to 100% of the patients without dysphagia. Sixty-one percent of patients with feeding tubes had no dysphagia. Forty-five percent of NPO (nothing by mouth) patients had imaging during their acute stay.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The results strongly suggest that the practice of continuing acute care diet recommendations in a SNF increases cost and may negatively impact patient quality of life. The practice may also lead to negative health consequences. A new imaging assessment is required to inform treatment when medical status changes.

Oral health-related multiple outcomes of holistic health in elderly individuals: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Background and aims

Along with an aging population, exploring the impact of oral health on holistic health and determining exact outcomes in elderly individuals are important in both scientific research and clinical practice. Significant increase in the number of systematic reviews shows that oral health can directly or indirectly affect the overall health of elderly people physically, mentally and socially. To systematically collate, appraise, and synthesize the current evidence, we carried out an umbrella review of the impacts of oral health on holistic health in elderly individuals.

Methods

A systematic reviews and meta-analyses search was performed in the major databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library from inception to February 1, 2022, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses was referred to assess methodological quality, and the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, assessment, Development, and Evaluation working group classification) was used to assess the quality of evidence for each outcome included in the umbrella review.

Results

Out of 1,067 records, a total of 35 systematic reviews were included. Respiratory diseases, malnutrition, age-related oral changes, frailty, cognitive impairment, depression and poor quality of life were identified as seven key outcomes that affect the physical, mental and social health of elderly individuals. Meanwhile, three intervention measures of oral health were summarized as (i) more rigorous and universal scales, (ii) dental cleaning and denture installation, and (iii) improving self-awareness regarding oral care.

Conclusions

Evidence showed that oral health can significantly affect holistic health, and the diverse oral diseases directly lead to multiple health outcomes in elderly individuals. Clear high-quality evidence revealed that oral health is strongly associated with seven health outcomes covering physical, mental, and social levels, which directly corresponds to holistic health, and impacts the quality of life of elderly individuals. Such the results remind the importance of oral care in public health, and further studies need to be conducted to verity more specific association between oral health and other chronic diseases.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, identifier: CRD42022315315.

A Comparative Study on the Effect of Acute Pharyngeal Stimulation with TRP Agonists on the Biomechanics and Neurophysiology of Swallow Response in Patients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia

Fluid thickening is the main compensatory strategy for patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) associated with aging or neurological diseases, and there is still no pharmacological treatment. We aimed to compare the effects of increasing bolus viscosity with that of acute stimulation with TRPV1, TRPA1 or TRPM8 agonists on the biomechanics and neurophysiology of swallow response in patients with OD. We retrospectively analyzed seven studies from our laboratory on 329 patients with OD. The effect of increasing shear viscosity up to 3682 mPa·s was compared by videofluoroscopy and pharyngeal sensory evoked potentials (pSEP) with that of adding to the bolus: capsaicin (TRPV1, 150 μM/10 μM), piperine (TRPA1/V1, 1 mM/150 μM), menthol (TRPM8, 1 mM/10 mM), cinnamaldehyde-zinc (TRPA1, 100 ppm−70 mM), citral (TRPA1, 250 ppm) or citral-isopulegol (TRPA1-TRPM8, 250 ppm−200 ppm). Fluid thickening improved the safety of swallow by 80% (p < 0.0001) by delaying bolus velocity by 20.7 ± 7.0% and time to laryngeal vestibule closure (LVC) by 23.1 ± 3.7%. Capsaicin 150μM or piperine 1 mM significantly improved safety of swallow by 50% (p < 0.01) and 57.1% (p < 0.01) by speeding time to LVC by 27.6% (p < 0.001) and 19.5% (p < 0.01) and bolus velocity by 24.8% (p < 0.01) and 16.9% (p < 0.05), respectively. Cinnamaldehyde-zinc shortened the P2 latency of pSEPs by 11.0% (p < 0.01) and reduced N2-P2 amplitude by 35% (p < 0.01). In conclusion, TRPV1 and TRPV1/A1 agonists are optimal candidates to develop new pharmacological strategies to promote the recovery of brain and swallow function in patients with chronic OD.

Effect of parenteral nutrition in oxygen escalation/de-escalation in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients who are pre-intubation: A multicenter, observational study

Background & aims

SARS-CoV-2 infection includes a variety of gastrointestinal manifestations along with the usual viral symptoms of malaise and myalgias. The objective of this study was to determine if intravenous parenteral nutrition (PN) affected the risk of intubation in SARS-CoV-2 patients who were dependent on non-invasive ventilation.

Methods

Retrospective, multicenter case-control study which analyzed oxygen requirements for 1974 adults with SARS-CoV-2, who were admitted to the local public hospital system between March 1 and May 17, 2020. Relevant baseline biomarkers were studied over 5 days. The main outcome was an escalation or de-escalation of oxygen requirements relative to the exposure of PN.

Results

111 patients received PN while on non-invasive ventilation. Patients who received PN had a significantly lower odds (p < 0.001) of oxygen escalation in comparison to their control group counterparts (OR = 0.804, 95% CI 0.720, 0.899) when matched for age, body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index, and gender.

Conclusion

Initiating PN in the setting of non-invasive ventilation of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients was significantly associated with a lower odds of oxygen escalation. PN does not independently exacerbate oxygen requirements in SARS-CoV-2 infected pre-intubated patients.

Treatment burden associated with the intake of thickened fluids

The implementation of thickened fluids in patients with dysphagia is widely considered an effective strategy for safe and physiologically improved swallow. However, there is limited evidence to suggest that this intervention reduces the risk of dysphagia-related complications including aspiration pneumonia. In addition, there is growing evidence that this approach is associated with adverse clinical effects including dehydration, malnutrition and reduced health-related quality of life. This review summarises the rationale for thickened fluids, the evidence base (or lack thereof) underpinning their use, and current guideline recommendations.

Educational aims

To review the evidence base for thickened fluids in the management of dysphagia.To examine the evidence that thickened fluids reduce aspiration pneumonia.To provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of thickened fluids in the management of dysphagia.

Interventions for Nursing Home Residents with Dysphagia-A Scoping Review

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is common in nursing home residents. The objective of this scoping review was to summarize and disseminate the findings from the literature on interventions for dysphagia in nursing home residents. Searches were conducted in four databases. The criteria for including the studies were nursing home residents, dysphagia, interventions, original research, published in English, Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish with no restriction placed regarding publication date. Excluded were literature reviews, editorial comments, conference abstracts, protocols, papers not available in full text, and studies with a mixed population, for example, geriatric patients and nursing home residents and where the results were not separated between the groups. A total of 14 papers were included and analyzed. The included papers represented interventions focusing on feeding intervention, oral hygiene, caregiver algorithm, stimulation (taste and smell), teaching the residents what to eat, mobilization of the spine, exercises/training, and positioning. This scoping review identifies sparse knowledge about interventions affecting nursing home residents' dysphagia. But the results indicate that multi-component interventions, including staff training, training of residents, and/or next of kin, might be successful. This scoping review clarifies that there is a need for well-designed studies that uncover which specific interventions have an effect in relation to nursing home residents with dysphagia and can serve as a guide for designing multi-component person-centered intervention studies. Future studies should implement high evidence study designs, define the measures of dysphagia, and quantify the severity of dysphagia, its underlying diseases, and comorbidities.

Is IDDSI an Evidence-Based Framework? A Relevant Question for the Frail Older Population

To delay impacts of aging, optimal nutritional status is essential. Several factors can reduce food intake, such as isolation, income, and cognitive/physical decline. Additionally, chewing and swallowing difficulties, or dysphagia, often disrupt the ability to consume life-long favorite dishes. Food and liquids could require modification of texture or consistency to ensure a comfortable or safe swallow. The food industry, foodservices facilities, and caregivers need quality control benchmarks to provide adequate nourishment and meet these new feeding challenges. The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) is proposing the IDDSI framework and testing methods to describe food used in nutritional care plans to circumvent dysphagia and improve communication among caregivers. This systematic review assesses the validity and reliability of the IDDSI testing methods using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). Two publications presented content validity whereas 19 publications looked at construct validity or reliability for the IDDSI testing methods. One study was conducted in older adults presenting dysphagia. This review concludes that there is insufficient evidence to recommend the IDDSI testing methods. Further research, conducted with robust methodological design and reporting, is needed to develop and assess nutritious adapted food for frail older populations.

Effectiveness of expiratory flow acceleration in patients with Parkinson's disease and swallowing deficiency: A preliminary study

OBJECTIVES

Parkinson's disease (PD) causes dysfunction both to swallowing and to the cough mechanism. Oropharyngeal dysphagia is the main cause of pneumonia, due to silent aspiration of food and saliva. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in PD. Different strategies exist to reduce the risk of inhalation and associated lung infections, but evidence of their efficacy is still unclear. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate if adding an expiratory flow acceleration (EFA®) technique to standard therapy (ST) for dysphagia can reduce the incidence of bronchopulmonary infections and improve quality of life, respiratory function parameters, cough, and airways encumbrance perception.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-five patients with PD were randomized to two groups: ST vs. ST + EFA. Patients were re-assessed at 30, 180 and 360 days from start of treatment. The primary outcome was the incidence of respiratory exacerbations together with quality of life score (PDQ-39). Secondary outcomes were changes in respiratory function tests, cough capacity (CPEF), perceived health status (Euro-QOL-VAS), cough, and upper airways encumbrance perception evaluated by visual numeric scale (VNS).

RESULTS

Twenty patients concluded the study (10 each group). Albeit the difference was not significant, less respiratory infections, symptoms, hospital admissions and medical visits were found in the study group. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in cough effectiveness measured with the peak cough expiratory flow (PCEF) and other spirometry parameters (FEV₁, FVC), and also in specific and generic health-related quality of life measures (PDQ-39, Euro-QoL-VAS).

CONCLUSION

The results of this preliminary study support the use of EFA® technology in Parkinson's patients with dysphagia to reduce the risk of respiratory complications. Nevertheless, further studies are needed in a larger, more representative sample to definitively confirm the usefulness of this technique in PD patients.

Risk of Mortality Associated With Atypical Antipsychotic use: A National Cohort Study of Older Adults With Depression and Parkinson's Disease

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the risk of all-cause-mortality in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and comorbid depression using inappropriate atypical antipsychotics (AAPs), based on the 2015 American Geriatrics Society Beers criteria.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 2007-2010 Minimum Data Set linked Medicare data was conducted using a propensity-matched approach. The cohort included PD patients aged 65 years or older without schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who started AAPs. All patients had a diagnosis of comorbid depression. Risk of 6-month all-cause-mortality was compared across appropriate AAPs (aripiprazole, clozapine, or quetiapine) and inappropriate AAPs (olanzapine, asenapine, brexpiprazole, iloperidone, lurasidone, paliperidone, risperidone, or ziprasidone) using robust Cox regression models involving the matched cohort.

RESULTS

All-cause mortality rate was 15.65% in appropriate AAP group (n = 6,038) and 16.91% in inappropriate AAP group (n = 6,038) over 6-month follow-up in the matched cohort. The robust Cox proportional hazards models revealed increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.13 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.01-1.28)] for patients who used inappropriate compared to appropriate AAPs. Risk of death was also higher for risperidone compared to quetiapine (HR: 1.20 [95% CI: 1.03-1.40]) in sensitivity analysis. However, there was a significant relationship between pneumonia and death in all analyses. The impact of inappropriate AAP use on mortality was not significant when pneumonia was modeled as a mediator.

CONCLUSIONS

Inappropriate AAP use is associated with a higher risk of all-cause-mortality in older patients with PD which is mainly mediated by pneumonia. Therefore, inappropriate AAP use should be avoided to improve quality of care in PD.

Diagnosis and treatments for oropharyngeal dysphagia: effects of capsaicin evaluated by newly developed ultrasonographic method

Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a common symptom in the older people, and may cause fatal complications such as aspiration pneumonia. However, there is no established treatment for OD. The relationship between the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and substance P released by activated TRPV1 was recently demonstrated. Further, there are several reports showing that capsaicin, a specific agonist of TRPV1, can improve OD. Currently, the evaluation of swallowing is mainly performed by videofluoroscopic examination. However, there are no reports on the clinical application of ultrasonography using tissue Doppler imaging. In this review, we describe the pathophysiology and treatments for OD, introduce our novel US method to evaluate cervical esophageal motility, and then outline our clinical study examining the effects of capsaicin, a specific TRPV1 agonist, in older patients with OD.

The investigation of asymptomatic swallowing disorder through surface electromyography in the geriatric population

AIM

Swallowing is a vital activity. The difficulty while swallowing, referred to as swallowing disorder, is strongly associated with serious health problems in the elderly. The aim of this study is to enable early recognition of the swallowing function developing as an asymptomatic condition.

METHOD

Our study was conducted on elderly populations aged 65 years and over who met the exclusion criteria. Firstly, to be able to reach the number of sampling, "EAT-10 questionnaire", which also has a Turkish validation, was used to eliminate those with symptomatic swallowing disorders. The number of patients we reached was 320, but 7 dropped out of the study and therefore the study was carried out with a total of 313 [reached as 97.8% (up 95% G-power)].

RESULT

We used validated sEMG test in the quantitative (objective) detection of asymptomatic swallowing disorder. In this method, asymptomatic swallowing disorder was detected in 39 cases (12.4%).

CONCLUSION

Swallowing disorder without symptoms is frequent and the sEMG test is useful in detecting it in the elderly population.

Pilot study for risk assessment of aspiration pneumonia based on oral bacteria levels and serum biomarkers

Background

Aspiration pneumonia is a serious problem among elderly patients; it is caused by many risk factors including dysphagia, poor oral hygiene, malnutrition, and sedative medications. The aim of this study was to define a convenient procedure to objectively evaluate the risk of aspiration pneumonia in the clinical setting.

Methods

This prospective study included an aspiration pneumonia (AP) group, a community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) group, and a control (Con) group (patients hospitalized for lung cancer chemotherapy). We used the Oral Health Assessment Tool (OHAT), which assesses oral hygiene, and evaluated performance status, body mass index, serum albumin levels, substance P values in plasma, and oral bacterial counts.

Results

The oral health as assessed by the OHAT of the aspiration pneumonia group was significantly impaired compared with that of the CAP group and the control (5.13 ± 0.18, 4.40 ± 0.26, 3.90 ± 0.22, respectively; p < 0.05). The oral bacterial count in the aspiration pneumonia group (7.20 ± 0.11) was significantly higher than that in the CAP group (6.89 ± 0.12), consistent with the OHAT scores. Oral bacterial count was significantly reduced by oral care.

Conclusions

OHAT and oral bacterial counts can be a tool to assess the requirement of taking oral care and other preventive procedures in patients at high risk of aspiration pneumonia.

Proportion of Aspiration Pneumonia Cases Among Patients With Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Single-Center Study in Korea

Objective

To investigate the proportion of aspiration pneumonia cases among patients with community-acquired pneumonia in Korea.

Methods

This retrospective study included patients with community-acquired pneumonia who had been admitted to the emergency department of a university-affiliated tertiary hospital in Gyeonggi Province, Korea between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. Among these patients, those with aspiration pneumonia were identified using ICD-10 codes (J69.^*). Patients with recurrent pneumonia were excluded, as were those who were immunocompromised. The proportion of cases of aspiration pneumonia was calculated, and the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with aspiration pneumonia and non-aspiration pneumonia were compared.

Results

The proportion of aspiration pneumonia cases among patients with community-acquired pneumonia was 14.2%. Patients with aspiration pneumonia were significantly more likely to be older (p<0.001) and male (p<0.001), and to have a higher confusion, uremia, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and age ≥65 years (CURB-65) score (p<0.001) as compared to patients with non-aspiration pneumonia. They were also more likely to require admission to the intensive care unit (p<0.001) and a longer hospital stay (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Aspiration pneumonia accounts for 14.2% of all cases of community-acquired pneumonia in Korea. These data may contribute to the establishment of healthcare strategies for managing aspiration pneumonia among Korean adults.

International Survey of Physicians' Perspectives on Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Feeding in Patients with Dementia and Review of Literature

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube often remains to be used as a primary modality for feeding in patients with advanced dementia, perhaps due to misconceptions regarding the outcomes. Physicians' perceptions regarding the PEG tubes could be a significant contributing factor globally. A multidisciplinary approach involving the ethics committee can help address the issue. Our survey is focused on gauging physicians' perceptions regarding PEG tube utilization and its global impact on outcomes in dementia.

Factors That Affect Oral Care Outcomes for Institutionalized Elderly

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an oral care intervention program on the incidence of pneumonia and fever as a surrogate endpoint. In addition, we tried to determine the oral care risk factors for the incidence of fever. We provided an oral care program for the elderly at one private nursing home in July 2013. The maximum capacity of the nursing home was 60 residents. The body temperatures of all residents were measured twice a day and were summarized as the incidence of fever over a one-month period, which was used as the dependent variable. The residents' life conditions, number of teeth, and prescribed diet were used as independent variables. The factors that affected the incidence of fever were the number of remaining teeth, a prescribed diet of sliced food, the meal care level, and the oral Candida levels. These risk factors affected the incidence of fever independently or interactively with oral care. Some risk factors for the incidence of fever were enhanced by the oral care program. It is important to evaluate and control these factors before the implementation of an oral care program.

Optimizing Texture Modified Foods for Oro-pharyngeal Dysphagia: A Difficult but Possible Target?

Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder characterized by the difficulty in transferring solid foods and/or liquids from the oral cavity to the stomach, imparing autonomous, and safe oral feeding. The main problems deriving from dysphagia are tracheo-bronchial aspiration, aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition and dehydration. In order to overcome dysphagia-induced problems, over the years water and food thickening has been used, focusing specifically on viscosity increase, but limited results have been obtained. Elastic components and their effects on the cohesiveness on the bolus should be taken into account in the first place. We provide an analysis of dysphagia and suggest possible corrections to the protocols which are being used at present, taking into account rheological properties of food and the effect of saliva on the bolus. We reckon that considering such aspects in the dysphagia management market and healthcare catering would result in significant clinical risk reduction.

Aspiration pneumonia induces muscle atrophy in the respiratory, skeletal, and swallowing systems

BACKGROUND

Repetition of the onset of aspiration pneumonia in aged patients is common and causes chronic inflammation. The inflammation induces proinflammatory cytokine production and atrophy in the muscles. The proinflammatory cytokines induce muscle proteolysis by activating calpains and caspase-3, followed by further degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Autophagy is another pathway of muscle atrophy. However, little is known about the relationship between aspiration pneumonia and muscle. For swallowing muscles, it is not clear whether they produce cytokines. The main objective of this study was to determine whether aspiration pneumonia induces muscle atrophy in the respiratory (the diaphragm), skeletal (the tibialis anterior, TA), and swallowing (the tongue) systems, and their possible mechanisms.

METHODS

We employed a mouse aspiration pneumonia model and computed tomography (CT) scans of aged pneumonia patients. To induce aspiration pneumonia, mice were inoculated with low dose pepsin and lipopolysaccharide solution intra-nasally 5 days a week. The diaphragm, TA, and tongue were isolated, and total RNA, proteins, and frozen sections were stored. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction determined the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines, muscle E3 ubiquitin ligases, and autophagy related genes. Western blot analysis determined the activation of the muscle proteolysis pathway. Frozen sections determined the presence of muscle atrophy. CT scans were used to evaluate the muscle atrophy in aged aspiration pneumonia patients.

RESULTS

The aspiration challenge enhanced the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the diaphragm, TA, and tongue. Among muscle proteolysis pathways, the aspiration challenge activated caspase-3 in all the three muscles examined, whereas calpains were activated in the diaphragm and the TA but not in the tongue. Activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system was detected in all the three muscles examined. The aspiration challenge activated autophagy in the TA and the tongue, whereas weak or little activation was detected in the diaphragm. The aspiration challenge resulted in a greater proportion of smaller myofibers than in controls in the diaphragm, TA, and tongue, suggesting muscle atrophy. CT scans clearly showed that aspiration pneumonia was followed by muscle atrophy in aged patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Aspiration pneumonia induced muscle atrophy in the respiratory, skeletal, and swallowing systems in a preclinical animal model and in human patients. Diaphragmatic atrophy may weaken the force of cough to expectorate sputum or mis-swallowed contents. Skeletal muscle atrophy may cause secondary sarcopenia. The atrophy of swallowing muscles may weaken the swallowing function. Thus, muscle atrophy could become a new therapeutic target of aspiration pneumonia.

Use of modified diets to prevent aspiration in oropharyngeal dysphagia: is current practice justified?

BACKGROUND

Although modifying diets, by thickening liquids and modifying the texture of foods, to reduce the risk of aspiration has become central to the current management of dysphagia, the effectiveness of this intervention has been questioned. This narrative review examines, and discusses possible reasons for, the apparent discrepancy between the widespread use of modified diets in current clinical practice and the limited evidence base regarding the benefits and risks of this approach.

DISCUSSION

There is no good evidence to date that thickening liquids reduces pneumonia in dysphagia and this intervention may be associated with reduced fluid intake. Texture-modified foods may contribute to undernutrition in those with dysphagia. Modified diets worsen the quality of life of those with dysphagia, and non-compliance is common. There is substantial variability in terminology and standards for modified diets, in the recommendations of individual therapists, and in the consistency of diets prepared by healthcare staff for consumption. Although use of modified diets might appear to have a rational pathophysiological basis in dysphagia, the relationship between aspiration and pneumonia is not clear-cut. Clinical experience may be a more important determinant of everyday practice than research evidence and patient preferences. There are situations in the management of dysphagia where common sense and the necessity of intervention will clearly outweigh any lack of evidence or when application of evidence-based principles can enable good decision making despite the absence of robust evidence. Nevertheless, there is a significant discrepancy between the paucity of the evidence base supporting use of modified diets and the beliefs and practices of practitioners.

CONCLUSION

The disconnect between the limited evidence base and the widespread use of modified diets suggests the need for more careful consideration as to when modified diets might be recommended to patients. Patients (or their representatives) have a choice whether or not to accept a modified diet and must receive adequate information, about the potential risks and impact on quality of life as well as the possible benefits, to make that choice. There is an urgent need for better quality evidence regarding this intervention.

Cilostazol for the prevention of pneumonia: a systematic review

Background

Pneumonia is a very common disease, especially among the elderly. Various drugs’ preventive effects against pneumonia have been reported. The antiplatelet drug cilostazol is used to prevent pneumonia, but the robustness of its efficacy is unclear. This review estimates the effectiveness of cilostazol for preventing pneumonia in elderly individuals.

Methods

The following databases were searched from the earliest record to January 2016, without language restriction (the secondary search was conducted on February 2017): MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Ichushi-Web. Studies were included if they were published randomized controlled trials investigating the preventive effect of cilostazol on pneumonia in the elderly. The outcome was the incidence of pneumonia.

Results

Two trials were identified that met the search criteria (1423 participants). Both trials compared cilostazol with no antiplatelet in patients with a history of cerebral infarction. A meta-analysis was not performed because of the small number of trials and the heterogeneity of the data. Both trials suggested that cilostazol reduced the incidence of pneumonia (risk ratio [RR] 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.22–0.73 in one trial, RR 0.20; 95% CI 0.06–0.69 in the other) and the recurrence of cerebral infarction (0.43; 0.21–0.90, 0.53; 0.34–0.81, respectively). The quality of evidence provided by the trials was very low, mainly because of the high risk of bias.

Conclusions

It is difficult to draw conclusions on the basis of two trials. Moreover, in the two trials, cilostazol could have reduced the incidence of pneumonia via a reduction of the recurrence of cerebral infarction, which suggests that other antiplatelets could also have the same effects. Stronger evidence is required from large trials assessing the effectiveness of cilostazol for the prevention of pneumonia.

Trial registration

PROSPERO (CRD42016036724).

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s41479-018-0046-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Medical complications and mortality in octogenarians undergoing elective spinal fusion surgeries

BACKGROUND

The consequences of suffering postoperative complications in elderly undergoing spinal surgeries may be different compared to younger patients. The primary objective of this study was to identify the types and frequency of medical complications and mortality rates in patients 80 years of age or older undergoing elective spinal fusion surgeries for degenerative spinal disease.

METHODS

A prospective observational study with a retrospective chart review was performed, which included all consecutive patients ≥80 years old undergoing elective spinal fusion surgeries from May 2012 to August 2015. We identified a total of 95 patients, of which 39 cervical and 56 lumbar surgeries were performed. There were 41 female and 54 male patients with the mean age of 82.8 years (range, 80-91). The perioperative complications were allocated into the following categories: infection, pulmonary, cardiac, gastrointestinal, hematologic, urologic, neurovascular, thromboembolic, and other. Baseline and postoperative clinical outcome scores were compared to evaluate efficacy.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time was 14.8 months (range, 5 days to 37 months) with an overall mortality rate of 8.4%. The 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality rates were 2.1, 2.1, and 4.2%, respectively. There were 53.9 and 71.4% patients with complications in the cervical and lumbar patient groups, respectively. The presence of general comorbidities and the number of intervertebral levels predicted the occurrence of perioperative complications. Also, longer OR times were associated with a higher number of complications per patient and the occurrence of a UTI. Dysphagia was a significant predictor in developing pneumonia and atelectasis.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of perioperative medical complications and mortality rates in octogenarians undergoing elective spinal surgeries are quite high. The benefits of having surgery must be weighed against the risks of not only surgical but also adverse medical events. An informed decision-making process should include discussion of potential postoperative morbidity specific to this patient population in order to guide patient's acceptance of higher risks and expectations postoperatively. It is also important to identify potential complications and adapt preventive measures in order to help minimize them in this patient population.

Systematic review and evidence based recommendations on texture modified foods and thickened liquids for adults (above 17 years) with oropharyngeal dysphagia - An updated clinical guideline

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) has significant consequences for both the person with dysphagia and the society. An often-used treatment for OD is the recommendation of the texture of food and liquids. This recommendation seems to be based more on best practice than on evidence from a systematic review of existing scientific evidence. The aim of this paper was to report the result of an up-date of an original national guideline focussing on whether thickened liquids (review question 1) and modified foods (review question 2) are beneficial for adults above 17 years with OD in relation to three critical outcomes (aspiration, pneumonia and death) and seven important outcomes (dehydration, weight loss, mealtime performance, patient preferences, intervention adherence and quality of life).

METHODS

Three steps were used. First: An updated systematic literature search. Second: An assessment of the quality of the evidence for each review question by means of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Third: Development of clinical recommendations based on the evidence, assessment of the risk benefit ratio, and perceived patient preferences.

RESULTS

The body of evidence consisted of two RCTs for review question 1 both using nectar thickened liquids or honey-thickened liquids. No evidence was found for two important outcomes, mealtime performance and quality of life. With regard to risk of pneumonia, death, aspiration, dehydration, weight loss and intervention adherence no significant differences were found. The outcome addressing patient preferences, found a non-significant increased dissatisfaction with nectar thickened liquids (RR 1.11; 95% CI 0.95-1.30) and a significant increased dissatisfaction with honey thickened liquids compared to thin liquids/chin down (RR 1.18; 95% CI 1.01-1.37). No evidence was identified for review question 2.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the quality of the evidence, assessment of the risk benefit ratio, and perceived patient preferences a weak recommendation against the use of texture modified liquids and good clinical practice pointing for the use of texture modified foods in patients with OD were made.

The Nursing Home Pneumonia Risk Index: A Simple, Valid MDS-Based Method of Identifying 6-Month Risk for Pneumonia and Mortality

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of hospitalization and death for nursing home (NH) residents; however, diagnosis is often delayed because classic signs of infection are not present. We sought to identify NH residents at high risk for pneumonia, to identify persons to target for more intensive surveillance and preventive measures.

METHODS

Based on a literature review, we identified key risk factors for pneumonia and compiled them for use as prediction tool, limiting risk factors to those available on the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Next, we tested the tool's ability to predict 6-month pneumonia incidence and mortality rates in a sample of 674 residents from 7 NHs, evaluating it both as a continuous and a dichotomous variable, and applying both logistic regression and survival analysis to calculate estimates.

RESULTS

NH Pneumonia Risk Index scores ranged from -1 to 6, with a mean of 2.1, a median of 2, and a mode of 2. For the outcome of pneumonia, a 1-point increase in the index was associated with a risk odds ratio of 1.26 (P = .038) or a hazard ratio of 1.24 (P = .037); using it as a dichotomous variable (≤2 vs ≥3), the corresponding figures were a risk odds ratio of 1.78 (P = .045) and a hazard ratio of 1.82 (P = .025). For the outcome of mortality, a 1-point increase in the NH Pneumonia Risk Index was associated with a risk odds ratio of 1.58 (P = .002) and a hazard ratio of 1.45 (P = .013); using the index as a dichotomous variable, the corresponding figures were a risk odds ratio of 3.71 (P < .001) and a hazard ratio of 3.29 (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The NH Pneumonia Risk Index can be used by NH staff to identify residents for whom to apply especially intensive preventive measures and surveillance. Because of its strong association with mortality, the index may also be valuable in care planning and discussion of advance directives.

Why do clinicians choose the therapies and techniques they do? Exploring clinical decision-making via treatment selections in dysphagia practice

PURPOSE

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are assumed to use evidence-based practice to inform treatment decisions. However, the reasoning underpinning treatment selections is not well known. Understanding why SLPs choose the treatments they do may be clarified by exploring the reasoning tied to specific treatments such as dysphagia interventions.

METHOD

An electronic survey methodology was utilised. Participants were accessed via the gatekeepers of two national dysphagia special interest groups representing adult and paediatric populations. Information was elicited on the dysphagia therapies and techniques used and on the reasoning for using/not using therapies. Data was analysed using descriptive and non-parametric statistics.

RESULT

The survey had a 74.8% response rate (n = 116). Consensus in both treatment selections and reasoning supporting treatment decisions was evident. Three favoured interventions (texture modification, thickening liquids, positioning changes) were identified. The reasoning supporting treatment choices centred primarily on client suitability and clinician knowledge. Knowledge reflected both absent knowledge (e.g. training) and accumulated knowledge (clinical experience).

CONCLUSION

Dysphagia practice appears highly-defined, being characterised by group consensus regarding both preferred treatments and the reasoning underpinning treatment selections. Treatment selections are based on two core criteria: client suitability and the SLPs experience/knowledge. Explicit scientific reasoning is less influential than practice-centric influences.

Diagnostic Assessment and Management of Dysphagia in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

A growing concern in patients affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) is dysphagia, or swallowing impairment, which leads to malnutrition, dehydration, weight loss, functional decline and fear of eating and drinking, as well as a decrease in the quality of life. Thus the diagnostic assessment of dysphagia in patients with AD is imperative to ensure that they receive effective management, avoiding complications, and reducing comorbidity and mortality in such a growing population. Dysphagia management requires a multidisciplinary approach considering that no single strategy is appropriate for all patients. However, evidence for clinical diagnostic assessment, interventions, and medical management of dysphagia in these patients are still limited: few studies are reporting the evaluation and the management among this group of patients. Here we analyzed the most recent findings in diagnostic assessment and management of swallowing impairment in patients affected by AD.

European Society for Swallowing Disorders - European Union Geriatric Medicine Society white paper: oropharyngeal dysphagia as a geriatric syndrome

This position document has been developed by the Dysphagia Working Group, a committee of members from the European Society for Swallowing Disorders and the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society, and invited experts. It consists of 12 sections that cover all aspects of clinical management of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) related to geriatric medicine and discusses prevalence, quality of life, and legal and ethical issues, as well as health economics and social burden. OD constitutes impaired or uncomfortable transit of food or liquids from the oral cavity to the esophagus, and it is included in the World Health Organization's classification of diseases. It can cause severe complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, respiratory infections, aspiration pneumonia, and increased readmissions, institutionalization, and morbimortality. OD is a prevalent and serious problem among all phenotypes of older patients as oropharyngeal swallow response is impaired in older people and can cause aspiration. Despite its prevalence and severity, OD is still underdiagnosed and untreated in many medical centers. There are several validated clinical and instrumental methods (videofluoroscopy and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) to diagnose OD, and treatment is mainly based on compensatory measures, although new treatments to stimulate the oropharyngeal swallow response are under research. OD matches the definition of a geriatric syndrome as it is highly prevalent among older people, is caused by multiple factors, is associated with several comorbidities and poor prognosis, and needs a multidimensional approach to be treated. OD should be given more importance and attention and thus be included in all standard screening protocols, treated, and regularly monitored to prevent its main complications. More research is needed to develop and standardize new treatments and management protocols for older patients with OD, which is a challenging mission for our societies.

European Society for Swallowing Disorders - European Union Geriatric Medicine Society white paper: oropharyngeal dysphagia as a geriatric syndrome

This position document has been developed by the Dysphagia Working Group, a committee of members from the European Society for Swallowing Disorders and the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society, and invited experts. It consists of 12 sections that cover all aspects of clinical management of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) related to geriatric medicine and discusses prevalence, quality of life, and legal and ethical issues, as well as health economics and social burden. OD constitutes impaired or uncomfortable transit of food or liquids from the oral cavity to the esophagus, and it is included in the World Health Organization's classification of diseases. It can cause severe complications such as malnutrition, dehydration, respiratory infections, aspiration pneumonia, and increased readmissions, institutionalization, and morbimortality. OD is a prevalent and serious problem among all phenotypes of older patients as oropharyngeal swallow response is impaired in older people and can cause aspiration. Despite its prevalence and severity, OD is still underdiagnosed and untreated in many medical centers. There are several validated clinical and instrumental methods (videofluoroscopy and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing) to diagnose OD, and treatment is mainly based on compensatory measures, although new treatments to stimulate the oropharyngeal swallow response are under research. OD matches the definition of a geriatric syndrome as it is highly prevalent among older people, is caused by multiple factors, is associated with several comorbidities and poor prognosis, and needs a multidimensional approach to be treated. OD should be given more importance and attention and thus be included in all standard screening protocols, treated, and regularly monitored to prevent its main complications. More research is needed to develop and standardize new treatments and management protocols for older patients with OD, which is a challenging mission for our societies.

Dysphagia in the elderly: focus on rehabilitation strategies

Prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia among the elderly is high, but underestimated and underdiagnosed. It may give raise to relevant complications impacting on morbidity, hospital length of stay and health care costs. Dysphagia evaluation and management is a multidisciplinary task; it includes a detailed history taking, clinical and instrumental exams, and identification of the risk of aspiration. Long-standing individual abilities and impairments determine the goals of an ad hoc rehabilitation program. Currently there are no standard algorithmic approaches for the management of dysphagia in the elderly. Education of health professionals on early diagnosis and improvement of therapeutic strategies are mainstays to allow maximal recovery potential in this population. This narrative review summarizes the current rehabilitation approaches for dysphagia in the elderly. The aim is to inform the treating health care professionals, whether caring physician, physical medicine doctor, speech/swallowing therapist or nurse, on the state-of-the-art and stimulate discussion in the scientific community.

Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia with Oral Care in Individuals Without Mechanical Ventilation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVE

Evidence is lacking on the preventive effect of oral care on healthcare-associated pneumonia in hospitalized patients and nursing home residents who are not mechanically ventilated. The primary aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness of oral care on the incidence of pneumonia in nonventilated patients.

METHODS

We searched 8 databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science, LILACS, ICHUSHI, and CiNii), in addition to trial registries and a manual search. Eligible studies were published and unpublished randomized controlled trials examining the effect of any method of oral care on reported incidence of pneumonia and/or fatal pneumonia. Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Risk of bias was assessed for eligible studies.

RESULTS

We identified 5 studies consisting of 1,009 subjects that met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 2 trials assessed the effect of chlorhexidine in hospitalized patients; 3 studies examined mechanical oral cleaning in nursing home residents. A meta-analysis could only be done on 4 trials; this analysis showed a significant risk reduction in pneumonia through oral care interventions (RRfixed, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.40–0.91; P=.02). The effects of mechanical oral care alone were significant when pooled across studies. (RRfixed, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.40–0.92; P=.02). Risk reduction for fatal pneumonia from mechanical oral cleaning was also significant (RRfixed, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23–0.71; P=.002). Most studies had a high risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

This analysis suggests a preventive effect of oral care on pneumonia in nonventilated individuals. This effect, however, should be interpreted with caution due to risk of bias in the included trials.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(8): 899–906

A cluster-randomized controlled trial of a multicomponent intervention protocol for pneumonia prevention among nursing home elders

BACKGROUND

Pneumonia remains an important public health problem among elderly nursing home residents. This clinical trial sought to determine if a multicomponent intervention protocol, including manual tooth/gum brushing plus 0.12% chlorhexidine oral rinse, twice per day, plus upright positioning during feeding, could reduce the incidence of radiographically documented pneumonia among nursing home residents, compared with usual care.

METHODS

This cluster-randomized clinical trial was conducted in 36 nursing homes in Connecticut. Eligible residents >65 years with at least 1 of 2 modifiable risk factors for pneumonia (ie, impaired oral hygiene, swallowing difficulty) were enrolled. Nursing homes were randomized to the multicomponent intervention protocol or usual care. Participants were followed for up to 2.5 years for development of the primary outcome, a radiographically documented pneumonia, and secondary outcome, a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) without radiographic documentation.

RESULTS

A total of 834 participants were enrolled: 434 to intervention and 400 to usual care. The trial was terminated for futility. The number of participants in the intervention vs control arms with first pneumonia was 119 (27.4%) vs 94 (23.5%), respectively, and with first LRTI, 125 (28.8%) vs 100 (25.0%), respectively. In a multivariable Cox regression model, the hazard ratio in the intervention vs control arms, respectively, was 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], .84-1.50; P = .44) for first pneumonia and 1.07 (95% CI, .79-1.46, P = .65) for first LRTI.

CONCLUSIONS

The multicomponent intervention protocol did not significantly reduce the incidence of first radiographically confirmed pneumonia or LRTI compared with usual care in nursing home residents.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

NCT00975780.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and bacterial pneumonia in patients with Parkinson disease

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the association of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers with pneumonia development in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODS

The study cohort consisted of patients aged 50 years or older who were initially diagnosed with PD and had hypertension. We assessed the patients' exposure statuses and accumulated doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers. We then evaluated the risk of pneumonia development in the patients who were exposed to these drugs and those who were not.

RESULTS

We examined 2,310 patients. During the observation period, 608 patients developed pneumonia. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors were associated with a lower risk of pneumonia. This association was dose-dependent.

CONCLUSION

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use was associated with a dose-dependent reduction in the risk of pneumonia in patients with PD and hypertension.

Chronic inflammation, lymphangiogenesis, and effect of an anti-VEGFR therapy in a mouse model and in human patients with aspiration pneumonia

Chronic inflammation induces lymphangiogenesis and blood vessel remodelling. Since aged pneumonia patients often have repeated episodes of aspiration pneumonia, the pathogenesis may involve chronic inflammation. For lymphangiogenesis, VEGFR-3 and its ligand VEGF-C are key factors. No previous studies have examined chronic inflammation or vascular changes in aspiration pneumonia or its mouse models. In lung inflammation, little is known about the effect of blocking VEGFR-3 on lung lymphangiogenesis and, moreover, its effect on the disease condition. This study aimed to establish a mouse model of aspiration pneumonia, examine the presence of chronic inflammation and vascular changes in the model and in patients, and evaluate the effect of inhibiting VEGFR-3 on the lymphangiogenesis and disease condition in this model. To induce aspiration pneumonia, we repeated inoculation of pepsin at low pH and LPS into mice for 21-28 days, durations in which bronchioalveolar lavage and plasma leakage in the lung suggested the presence of exaggerated inflammation. Conventional and immunohistochemical analysis of tracheal whole mounts suggested the presence of chronic inflammation, lymphangiogenesis, and blood vessel remodelling in the model. Quantitative RT-PCR of the trachea and lung suggested the involvement of lymphangiogenic factor VEGF-C, VEGFR-3, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the lung, the aspiration model showed the presence of chronic inflammation and exaggerated lymphangiogenesis. Treatment with the VEGFR inhibitor axitinib or the VEGFR-3 specific inhibitor SAR131675 impaired lymphangiogenesis in the lung and improved oxygen saturation in the aspiration model. Since the lung is the main site of aspiration pneumonia, the changes were intensive in the lung and mild in the trachea. Human lung samples also showed the presence of chronic inflammation and exaggerated lymphangiogenesis, suggesting the relevance of the model to the disease. These results suggest lymphatics in the lung as a new target of analysis and therapy in aspiration pneumonia.

Perindopril increases the swallowing reflex by inhibiting substance P degradation and tyrosine hydroxylase activation in a rat model of dysphagia

Patients with hypertension have a high risk of ischemic stroke and subsequent stroke-associated pneumonia. Stroke-associated pneumonia is most likely to develop in patients with dysphagia. The present study was designed to compare the ameliorative effects of different treatments in rat model of dysphagia. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were treated with bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCAO) to induce chronic cerebral hypoperfusion causing disorders of the swallowing reflex. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (perindopril, imidapril and enalapril), an angiotensin II type 1-receptor blocker (losartan), a vasodilator (hydralazine) and an indirect dopamine agonist (amantadine) were dissolved in drinking water and administered to the rats for six weeks. The blood pressure, the swallowing reflex under anesthesia, the substance P content in the striatum and the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the substantial nigra were measured. Compared to the vehicle control, the decrease in the swallowing reflex induced by BCAO was attenuated significantly by enalapril, imidapril and perindopril, but only slightly by losartan. Hydralazine had no effect on the swallowing reflex. Amantadine significantly attenuated the decreased swallowing reflex but increased the blood pressure. Cerebral hypoperfusion for six weeks decreased the TH expression and substance P level. Perindopril improved both the TH expressions and substance P level, but imidapril, enalapril and amantadine only improved the substance P level. The present findings indicate that perindopril could be useful for preventing dysphagia in the chronic stage of stroke by attenuating the decrease in TH expression and the decrease in the substance P level.

Clinical features and outcomes of aspiration pneumonia compared with non-aspiration pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study

Pneumonia is a leading cause of death among elderly patients. Although aspiration pneumonia (AP) commonly occurs with aging, its clinical features and outcomes are still uncertain. The aims of this study were to describe the clinical features and outcomes of AP and to assess whether presence of AP affects clinical outcomes in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP). We retrospectively analyzed patients with CAP and HCAP hospitalized in our institution in Japan from October 2010 to March 2012. We compared clinical features and outcomes between AP and non-AP, and investigated risk factors for recurrence of pneumonia and death. Of 214 consecutive patients, 100 (46.7%) were diagnosed as having aspiration pneumonia. These patients were older and had lower body mass index, more comorbidities, and poorer Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) than the patients with non-AP. Patients with AP had more severe disease, required longer hospital stays, and had a frequent recurrence rate of pneumonia and higher mortality. In multivariate analyses, AP, age, and ECOG PS were related to recurrence of pneumonia, and the prognostic factors were CURB-65 score and ECOG PS. AP was not a significant indicator for prognosis but was the strongest risk factor for recurrence of pneumonia. Clinical background and outcomes including recurrence and mortality of AP were obviously different from those of non-AP; therefore AP should be considered as a distinct subtype of pneumonia, and it is important to prevent the recurrence of pneumonia in the patients with AP.