ABSTRACT
Objective To explore whether the pattern of dysphagia verified using videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) was associated with the Iocation of the infarction in stroke patients.Methods Ninety-two patients with dysphagia (admitted between January 2015 and August 2016) who had first onset of cerebral infarction confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging were included in this study.They were divided into a unilateral brainstem group (n =29),a left hemisphere (cortex + white matter) group (n =37) and a right hemisphere (cortex + white matter) group (n=26) according to the location of the stroke.All subjects were evaluated using VFSS,and the oral transit time (OTT),triggering of pharyngeal swallowing (TPS),presence of residue in the vallecular and pyriform sinus,penetration,aspiration,cough reaction and upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening were recorded and compared among the three groups.Results There were no significant differences among the three groups in OTT (X2 =0.712,P=0.918),TPS (1.564,P =0.458),penetration (X2 =5.615,P=0.060) and cough reaction (X2 =5.882,P=0.053).The unilateral brainstem group had significantly more residue in the vallecular and pyriform sinus than the left hemisphere group (X2=6.508,P=0.011).Aspiration was significantly more frequently found in the unilateral brainstem group than in the left hemisphere group (X2=7.803,P =0.005).The unilateral brainstem group was more likely to have insufficient UES opening than the left hemisphere (X2=29.555,P＜0.001) and right hemisphere groups (X2=24.630,P＜0.001).Conclusions Unilateral brainstem stroke is more likely to cause dysphagia than the unilateral cerebral hemisphere stroke,characterized by the abnormal residue in the vallecular and pyriform sinus,aspiration and the degree of UES opening.No significant differences were found in the dysphagia between stroke survivors with stroke in right and left hemispheres.