Aspiration following stroke: is it related to the side of the stroke?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between the side of stroke and the presence of aspiration on videofluoroscopy. DESIGN: Observational prospective study. SUBJECTS: Eighty-seven patients (50% female) admitted with an acute stroke to the University Hospital of South Manchester. METHODS: Patients admitted to the study underwent brain CT scanning and repeated videofluoroscopy. RESULTS: CT scanning was performed within a median three days (interquartile range 2-4 days) following stroke and videofluoroscopic (VF) examination (median 2, interquartile range 1-4 days following stroke) of their swallow. Seventeen (19.5%) patients were noted to be aspirating. There were no significant relationships at this time between side or site of lesion and the presence of aspiration. A second assessment was carried out at a median time of 29 days (interquartile range 26-45) following acute stroke. Nine of 69 (13.5%) patients were noted to be aspirating, seven of whom, had right hemisphere lesions (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Continuing aspiration may be related to the side of the cerebral lesion.