How stroke-related dysphagia relates to quality of life: the mediating role of nutritional status and psychological disorders, and the moderating effect of enteral nutrition mode

Effective treatment requires regular follow-up and monitoring of symptoms. We investigated sensitivity to change and minimal clinically important difference of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7).

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the quality of life in stroke patients using a swallowing quality of life (SWAL-QOL) questionnaire. The correlation between SWAL-QOL questionnaire outcome and videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) scores in stroke patients was also determined. This cross-sectional study was retrospectively conducted with 75 stroke patients with dysphagia symptoms. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) and SWAL-QOL questionnaires were performed for all patients. These patients were divided into an oral feeding group and a tube feeding group. SWAL-QOL scores were compared between the 2 groups. The severity of dysphagia was estimated by VDS scores according to the videofluoroscopic swallowing study results. The relationships between SWAL-QOL scores and VDS scores were also investigated. The composite score was 48.82 ± 19.51 for the tube feeding group and 53.17 ± 25.42 for the oral feeding group. There were significant differences in burden and sleep subdomains of the SWAL-QOL between the 2 groups (P = .005 and P = .012, respectively). There was a significant negative correlation between the composite score of SWAL-QOL outcome and the total VDS score (r = −0.468, P = .012). The pharyngeal-phase score of the VDS had significant negative correlations with the SWAL-QOL subdomains of burden (r = −0.327, P = .013), mental health (r = −0.348, P = .008), and social functioning (r = −0.365, P = .029). To improve the quality of life of stroke patients, dysphagia rehabilitation should focus on the pharyngeal phase of dysphagia.

Background Depression affects about 30% of stroke survivors within 5 years. Timely diagnosis and management of post-stroke depression facilitate motor recovery and improve independence. The original version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is recognized as a good screening tool for post-stroke depression. However, no validation studies have been undertaken for the use of the Thai PHQ-9 in screening for depression among Thai stroke patients. Methods The objectives were to determine the criterion validity and reliability of the Thai PHQ-9 in screening for post-stroke depression by comparing its results with those of a psychiatric interview as the gold standard. First-ever stroke patients aged ≥45 years with a stroke duration 2 weeks–2 years were administered the Thai PHQ-9. The gold standard was a psychiatric interview leading to a DSM-5 diagnosis of depressive disorder and adjustment disorder with a depressed mood. The summed-scored-based diagnosis of depression with the PHQ-9 was obtained. Validity and reliability analyses, and a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, were performed. Results In all, 115 stroke patients with a mean age of 64 years (SD: 10 years) were enrolled. The mean PHQ-9 score was 5.2 (SD: 4.8). Using the DSM-5 criteria, 11 patients (9.6%) were diagnosed with depressive disorder, 12 patients (10.5%) were diagnosed with adjustment disorder with a depressed mood. Both disorders were combined as a group of post-stroke depression. The Thai PHQ-9 had satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.78). The algorithm-based diagnosis of the Thai PHQ-9 had low sensitivity (0.52) but very high specificity (0.94) and positive likelihood ratio (9.6). Used as a summed-scored-based diagnosis, an optimal cut-off score of six revealed a sensitivity of 0.87, specificity of 0.75, positive predictive value of 0.46, negative predictive value of 0.95, and positive likelihood ratio of 3.5. The area under the curve was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.78–0.96). Conclusions The Thai PHQ-9 has acceptable psychometric properties for detecting a mixture of major depression and adjustment disorder in post-stroke patients, with a recommended cut-off score of ≥6 for a Thai population.