Predictors of dysphagia screening and pneumonia among patients with intracerebral haemorrhage in China: a cross-sectional hospital-based retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate factors associated with undergoing dysphagia screening (DS) and developing pneumonia, as well as the relationship between DS and pneumonia in patients with intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). DESIGN: Our study was a cross-sectional hospital-based retrospective study. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTINGS: We derived data from the China Stroke Centre Alliance, a nationwide clinical registry of ICH from 1476 participating hospitals in mainland China. To identify predictors for pneumonia, multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify patient characteristics that were independently associated with DS and pneumonia. PARTICIPANTS: We included 31 546 patients in this study with patient characteristics, admission location, medical history, hospital characteristics and hospital grade from August 2015 to July 2019. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were DS and pneumonia during acute hospitalisation. RESULTS: In total, 25 749 (81.6%) and 7257 (23.0%) patients with ICH underwent DS and developed pneumonia. Compared with patients without pneumonia, those who developed pneumonia were older and had severe strokes (Glasgow Coma Scale 9-13: 52.7% vs 26.9%). Multivariable analyses revealed that a higher pneumonia risk was associated with dysphagia (OR, 4.34; 95% CI, 4.02 to 4.68), heart failure (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.24 to 2.77) and smoking (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.12 to 0.20). DS was associated with lower odds of pneumonia (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.95). CONCLUSION: Our findings further confirm that dysphagia is an independent risk factor for pneumonia; one-fifth of patients with ICH did not undergo DS. However, comprehensive dysphagia evaluation and effective management are crucial. Nursing processes ensure the collection of complete and accurate information during evaluation of patients. There is a need to increase the rate of DS in patients with ICH, especially those with severe stroke or older. Further, randomised controlled trials are warranted to determine the effectiveness of DS on clinical outcomes.

Assessment of rehabilitation following intracerebral hemorrhage in China: findings from the Chinese stroke center alliance.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence shows that rehabilitation is the most effective strategy to reduce the disability rate of patients with stroke. However, there is limited understanding about the factors associated with rehabilitation assessment among patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in China. We aimed to investigate the factors associated with rehabilitation assessment in patients with ICH and the relationship between rehabilitation assessment and hospitalization outcomes. METHODS: Data from 85,664 patients with ICH admitted to 1,312 hospitals between 1 August 2015 and 31 July 2019 were analyzed. A multivariable logistic regression model accounting for in-hospital clustering was used to identify patient and hospital factors associated with rehabilitation assessment during acute hospitalization. RESULTS: A total of 62,228 (72.6%) patients with ICH underwent rehabilitation assessments. In multivariable analyses, factors associated with an increased likelihood of undergoing a rehabilitation assessment (P < .05) included a higher Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission, a history of hypertension, a history of peripheral vascular disease, dysphagia screening, carotid vessel imaging, and a longer length of hospital stay. Conversely, patients admitted to the intensive care unit and tertiary-grade hospitals were less likely to undergo rehabilitation assessments during hospitalization for ICH. DISCUSSION: This study showed that the rate of rehabilitation assessment was 74.2%, which is low. Rehabilitation assessment was associated with longer hospital stays and lower mortality. Therefore, patients with acute cerebral haemorrhage should undergo comprehensive and professional rehabilitation assessment.