Clinical Practice Guidelines for Oropharyngeal Dysphagia

• DOI: 10.5535/arm.23069
• Publication Date: 2023-07-28T05:06:16Z
• Authors: Seoyon Yang; Jin-Woo Park; Kyunghoon Min; Yoon Se Lee; Young-Jin Song; Seong Hee Choi; Doo Young Kim; Seung Hak Lee; Hee Seung Yang; Wonjae Cha; Ji Won Kim; Byung-Mo Oh; Han Gil Seo; Min-Wook Kim; Hee-Soon Woo; Sung-Jong Park; Sungju Jee; Ju Sun Oh; Ki Deok Park; Young Ju Jin; Sungjun Han; DooHan Yoo; Bo Hae Kim; Hyun Haeng Lee; Yeo Hyung Kim; Min-Gu Kang; Eun-Jae Chung; Bo Ryun Kim; Tae-Woo Kim; Eun Jae Ko; Young Min Park; Hanaro Park; Min-Su Kim; Jungirl Seok; Sun Im; Sung-Hwa Ko; Seong Hoon Lim; Kee Wook Jung; Tae Hee Lee; Bo Young Hong; Woojeong Kim; Weon-Sun Shin; Young Chan Lee; Sung Joon Park; Jeonghyun Lim; Youngkook Kim; Jung Hwan Lee; Kang-Min Ahn; Jun-Young Paeng; JeongYun Park; Young Ae Song; Kyung Cheon Seo; Chang Hwan Ryu; Jae-Keun Cho; Jee-Ho Lee; Kyoung Hyo Choi
• Keywords: treatment; diagnosis; therapeutics; R; Medicine; deglutition disorders; Clinical Practice Guideline; 3. Good health; rehabilitation

Objective: Dysphagia is a common clinical condition characterized by difficulty in swallowing. It is sub-classified into oropharyngeal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the mouth and pharynx, and esophageal dysphagia, which refers to problems in the esophageal body and esophagogastric junction. Dysphagia can have a significant negative impact one’s physical health and quality of life as its severity increases. Therefore, proper assessment and management of dysphagia are critical for improving swallowing function and preventing complications. Thus a guideline was developed to provide evidence-based recommendations for assessment and management in patients with dysphagia. Methods: Nineteen key questions on dysphagia were developed. These questions dealt with various aspects of problems related to dysphagia, including assessment, management, and complications. A literature search for relevant articles was conducted using Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and one domestic database of KoreaMed, until April 2021. The level of evidence and recommendation grade were established according to the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology.Results: Early screening and assessment of videofluoroscopic swallowing were recommended for assessing the presence of dysphagia. Therapeutic methods, such as tongue and pharyngeal muscle strengthening exercises and neuromuscular electrical stimulation with swallowing therapy, were effective in improving swallowing function and quality of life in patients with dysphagia. Nutritional intervention and an oral care program were also recommended. Conclusion: This guideline presents recommendations for the assessment and management of patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia, including rehabilitative strategies.