Prevalence and Methods for Assessment of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Journal of Clinical Medicine
Doan, T. N., Ho, W. C., et al. (2022).
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(9), 2605.
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the pooled prevalence of dysphagia in older adulted with subgroup analysis by screening tool (e.g. Gugging Swallow Screen [GUSS], Volume-Viscosity Swallow Test [V-VST], 10-item Eating Assessment Tool [EAT-10], etc.)
China Medical University Hospital (Taiwan)
From database inception to January 2022
Peer-reviewed observational studies
32, with 30 included in meta-analysis
Findings demonstrated that the use of non-validated screening measures, such as the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10; sensitivity= 0.82, specificity= 0.85), or unspecified water swallow tests (sensitivity= 0.855, specificity= 0.50), resulted in the under identification of oropharyngeal dysphagia in elderly populations. The Gugging Swallowing Screen Test (GUSS; sensitivity= 0.955, specificity= 0.944) or volume-viscosity swallow tests (V-VST; sensitivity= 0.94, specificity= 0.88) were found to be more effective in identifying dysphagia in this population. Limitations for this review included significant heterogeneity between studies, lack of inclusion of validated water swallow measures, and the exclusion of neurological diagnoses in some of the included studies. Further research is needed to determine the validity and reliability of these screening tools for this population.
