A total of 147 patients were enrolled during the pre-V-VST period and 95 were enrolled during the V-VST period.
The mean age of the participants was 68.8 ± 10.88 years, 61.2% were male, and the median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 3 (IQR, 1–6). Two hundred and 42 patients were enrolled. This was a retrospective observational study that enrolled patients with acute ischaemic stroke in two consecutive time periods: pre-V-VST, when the 30-mL water-swallowing test (WST) was systematically administered, and V-VST, when all patients underwent the WST and the V-VST test was systematically administered if the patient failed the WST. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the systematic administration of the volume-viscosity swallow test (V-VST) in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Early detection of dysphagia is necessary to identify and manage patients at high risk of aspiration. Patients with dysphagia have a higher risk of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) and poor outcomes.
