Validation of Italian Clinical Tools to Assess Neurogenic Dysphagia in Adults

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the Italian translation and validation of several clinical tools designed to assess swallowing and oral-motor function in patients with neurogenic dysphagia. These tools include the New Zealand Secretion Severity Scale for secretion management, the Reflex Cough Test from the cranial nerves assessment, the VASES scale used during fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, and the Drooling Severity Scale for saliva control. The study aims to provide reliable and standardized assessment instruments in Italian to help clinicians caring for people with neurological swallowing difficulties. The study involves no active treatment but focuses on validating these assessment tools in about 100 adult patients diagnosed with neurogenic dysphagia caused by various neurological conditions. Participants will undergo evaluations using the translated scales to test their internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. This observational study does not involve experimental interventions but uses diagnostic tests to collect data. Participants will be assessed once at baseline, with researchers measuring the consistency and reliability of the secretion and drooling scales as primary and secondary outcomes. The study includes clinical evaluations of swallowing and reflex cough function, with all assessments performed under stable medical conditions. The total duration of participation and follow-up is not specified, but the focus is on one-time validation measurements to support future clinical use of these tools.

Clinical and Instrumental Assessment Tools for Neurogenic Dysphagia: Translation and Validation