Fluid Thickeners in Patients with Mild Dysphagia / 대한연하장애학회지

ABSTRACT

Objective@#To compare the changes in blood urea nitrogen/creatinine (BUN/Cr) ratio, a dehydration status indicator, among patients with mild dysphagia depending on the addition of fluid thickeners. @*Methods@#A total of 81 patients who underwent serial dietary trials of the videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and displayed penetration signs with a penetration-aspiration scale of 4 or less during the liquid trials were enrolled and classified into two groups according to the dietary instructions from the VFSS results. Group A comprised patients who were permitted to freely consume water with a regular diet. Group B comprised patients allowed to take a regular diet but with the addition of a fluid thickener while ingesting water. To analyze whether the patients of each group were dehydrated, we calculated the serum BUN/Cr ratio using blood tests, which were performed within 1 week of the VFSS test date and 1 month later. @*Results@#There were 4 cases of suspected pneumonia within 1 month after the VFSS test, with no significant differences between the two groups. The BUN/Cr ratio of the 1-month follow-up blood test when compared to the initial blood test showed a significant decrease in Group A (P=0.022) compared with Group B (P=0.033). @*Conclusion@#Patients with mild dysphagia who consumed water freely showed a decrease in the BUN/Cr ratio compared to those who added fluid thickeners to their drinking water.