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Dysphagia and dysphonia in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the ward versus intensive care unit
Akbar Banari1 , Alireza Aghaz2 , Arash Shahriyari * 3, Fatemeh Fakhimi2
1- Department of Speech Therapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Speech Therapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
3- Department of Psychology, School of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:   (66 Views)
Objectives: COVID-19 was caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2  leading to the pandemic that affected the world. It is considered that COVID-19 patients are at high risk of developing dysphonia and dysphagia. Therefore, in this research, the objectives were to (i) study and compare the prevalence of dysphonia and dysphagia amongst COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and ward (ii) identify the risk factors of dysphagia and dysphonia in these patients, and (iii) investigate and compare the dysphonia and dysphagia related Quality Of Life (QOL) to amongst COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU and ward.
Methods: In this prospective study 150 COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU and ward of Firoozgar Hospital in Tehran, Iran were analyzed. Dysphagia and dysphonia were evaluated according to the Swallowing Impairment Score and the Consensus Auditory-Perceptual Evaluation of Voice. Also, the QOL was measured using the Persian version of the Dysphagia Handicap Index, Swallowing Quality-Of-Life (SWAL-QOL), and the Persian version of the Voice Handicap Index.
Results: One-hundred and fifty COVID-19 patients (59.64 years ± 17.87, 54.3% were male) (75 ICU admitted patients and 75 wards admitted patients) were evaluated by a speech and language pathologist. Almost 91% of all the participants had previous comorbid conditions. A total number of 115 (77%) patients with COVID-19 were experiencing dysphagia, and the prevalence of dysphagia didn’t differ significantly between the two groups. According to the SWAL-QOL and also in all its subscales, the QOL of the two groups were significantly different (P<0.05) and the QOL of ICU patients was lower than ward patients. A total of 91 (61%) COVID-19 patients had dysphonia, and the prevalence of dysphonia had a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). A positive correlation was found between dysphagia severity, dysphonia severity, and age (P<0.01). The length of stay had a positive correlation only with the severity of dysphonia (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Dysphagia and dysphonia were prevalent among COVID-19 patients. Early evaluation is necessitated for timely and efficient intervention to avoid further complications.


 
Keywords: COVID-19, dysphagia, dysphonia, prevalence, intensive care unit, predictor
     
Article type: Original Research Articles | Subject: Speech therapy
Received: 2023/04/9 | Accepted: 2023/09/5
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