SARS-CoV-2 and Dysphagia: A Retrospective Analysis of COVID-19 Patients with Swallowing Disorders

Background: COVID-19 can lead to impairment of neural networks involved in swallowing, since the act of swallowing is coordinated and performed by a diffuse brain network involving peripheral nerves and muscles. Dysphagia has been identified as a risk and predictive factor for the severest form of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Objectives: To investigate the association between swallowing disorders and COVID-19 in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Methods: We collected demographic data, medical information specific to dysphagia and data on medical treatments of patients with COVID-19. Results: A total of 43 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were enrolled in the study. Twenty (46%) were evaluated positive for dysphagia and 23 (54%) were evaluated negative. Neurocognitive disorders and diabetes were mostly associated with patients who resulted positive for dysphagia. Respiratory impairment caused by COVID-19 seems to be a cause of dysphagia, since all patients who needed oxygen-therapy developed symptoms of dysphagia, unlike patients who did not. In the dysphagic group, alteration of the swallowing trigger resulted in the severest form of dysphagia. An association was found between the severest form of COVID-19 and dysphagia. This group consisted predominantly of males with longer hospitalization. Conclusions: Identification of COVID-19 patients at risk for dysphagia is crucial for better patient management.