Comparative Analysis of the Prevalence of Dysphagia in Patients with Mild COVID-19 and Those with Aspiration Pneumonia Alone: Findings of the Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Patients recovering from mild coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reportedly have dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing. We compared the prevalence of dysphagia between patients diagnosed with mild COVID-19 and those diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia alone. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from January 2020 to June 2023 in 160 patients referred for a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) to assess for dysphagia. The cohort included 24 patients with mild COVID-19 and aspiration pneumonia, 30 with mild COVID-19 without aspiration pneumonia, and 106 with aspiration pneumonia alone. We reviewed the demographic data, comorbidities, and VFSS results using the penetration–aspiration scale (PAS) and functional dysphagia scale (FDS). Results: In a study comparing patients with mild COVID-19 (Group A) and those with aspiration pneumonia alone (Group B), no significant differences were observed in the baseline characteristics, including the prevalence of dysphagia-related comorbidities between the groups. Group A showed milder dysphagia, as evidenced by lower PAS and FDS scores, shorter oral and pharyngeal transit times (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively), and fewer residues in the vallecula and pyriform sinuses (p < 0.001 and p < 0.03, respectively). When Group A was subdivided into those with COVID-19 with (Group A1) and without aspiration pneumonia (Group A2), both subgroups outperformed Group B in terms of specific VFSS metrics, such as oral transit time (p = 0.01), pharyngeal transit time (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively), and residue in the vallecula (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). However, Group B showed improved triggering of the pharyngeal swallowing reflex compared with Group A2 (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Mild COVID-19 patients showed less severe dysphagia than those with aspiration pneumonia alone. This finding was consistent across VFSS parameters, even when the COVID-19 group was subdivided based on the status of aspiration pneumonia.