Three Patients with Dysphagia Following Hospitalization and Respiratory Support for Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia

 

Abstract

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with severe pneumonia may require hospitalization and respiratory support. Oropharyngeal dysphagia may occur due to lack of muscle coordination of the respiratory and swallowing mechanisms in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or as a consequence of intervention for respiratory support. This report is of a series of three patients who were hospitalized for severe COVID-19 pneumonia who developed dysphagia.

Case Series: Three patients patients were diagnosed with severe COVID-19 pneumonia with positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing for SARS-CoV-2. Case 1: A 69-year-old man hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia and who underwent noninvasive mechanical ventilation followed by difficulty in swallowing. Case 2: An 84-year-old woman hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia and developed confusion, disorientation, swallowing difficulties, and aspiration pneumonia. Case 3: An 87-year-old man who developed ARDS following hospital admission with COVID-19 pneumonia.

Conclusion: These cases have shown that dysphagia may develop in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 pneumonia, either due to respiratory interventions or due to ARDS, and should be identified and actively managed to prevent further complications due to aspiration of gastric contents.

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