Evaluation of dysphagia in patients with neurological diagnosis with the Turkish EAT-10 questionnaire

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dysphagia in neurological patients using the Turkish Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) screening test. Dysphagia is common in neurovascular, neurodegenerative, and neuromuscular diseases. Methods: Three hundred neurological patients [stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), dementia, Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), cerebral palsy (CP), myastenia gravis (MG)] were evaluated using the Turkish EAT-10 test. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS21, and p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean EAT-10 score was 6.22, with 69% of patients classified as dysphagic. The prevalence of dysphagia was highest in MG (100%) and dementia (83.32%). The severity of dysphagia was greater in women and patients aged 65+ (p<0.001). Conclusions: Dysphagia is common in neurological patients. Due to the cost and limitations of instrumental methods, the Turkish EAT-10 test is recommended as a practical and reliable alternative for screening. Women and people over 65 may be at higher risk for dysphagia.