Long-Covid-19 Dysphagia: proposal of a standardized evaluation protocol and disease description

Objective: The aim of the study is to propose an assessment protocol for evaluating patients who complain of dysphagia during long-Covid-19 and to describe their sings and symptoms.
Methods: M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and Italian Dysphagia Handicap Inventory (I-DHI) questionnaires were administered to the patients. Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) was performed and P-score, p-SCA score and PAS scale were applied. Fisher’s exact test and the Cohen Coefficient K were used for statistical analysis.
Results: MDADI scores revealed mild to moderate dysphagia in 45.5% and 18.2% of the subjects, respectively. I-DHI scores indicated mild, moderate and severe pathological condition in 42.4%, 21.2% and 6.1% of cases. Seventeen out of 33 patients underwent FEES: 11.8% of subjects presented dysphagia for jellified bolus, 17.6% for solids and liquids. Pooling score resulted “non-endoscopic dysphagia signs” even in presence. The p-value was > 0.05. No correlation between MDADI scores and dysphagia for liquid and solids was found; I-DHI self-related score and solid dysphagia were almost perfectly correlated.
Conclusions: Long-Covid-19 dysphagia often occurs as mild-to-moderate disorder. I-DHI scores are more reliable than MDADI scores in detecting and quantifying swallowing disorders even though FEES is always necessary.