Trajectory and influencing factors of swallowing function in adults after orotracheal extubation in an intensive care unit in China: a prospective cohort study.

objectivesTo investigate the trajectories of swallowing function recovery and associated influencing factors in adult patients following orotracheal extubation in the intensive care unit (ICU).

designProspective cohort study.

settingEmergency ICU of a tertiary hospital in Shenyang, China.

participantsA total of 182 adult patients who underwent orotracheal intubation were enrolled between December 2023 and December 2024 using convenience sampling. Among them, 168 patients completed all follow-up assessments, with a loss-to-follow-up rate of 10.1%. OUTCOME MEASURES: Swallowing function was assessed using the Standardised Swallowing Assessment (SSA) at 2, 4, 6, 8, 24 and 48 hours after extubation. Latent class growth modelling (LCGM) was used to identify distinct swallowing function trajectories. Unordered multinomial logistic regression was performed to examine factors associated with different trajectory classes.

resultsAmong the 168 patients who completed all six assessments, no significant differences in baseline characteristics were observed between patients who completed follow-up and those lost to follow-up (all p>0.05). LCGM identified three distinct swallowing function trajectories: a low-risk group (46.1%), characterised by consistently low SSA scores below the dysfunction threshold (26 points); a rapid recovery group (24.6%), in which SSA scores declined to below 26 points within 24 hours after extubation and a high-risk group (29.3%), characterised by persistently elevated SSA scores above 26 points. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that age ≤50 years, absence of spinal cord injury or rib fractures, APACHE II score <10 and intubation duration <5 days were associated with a higher likelihood of belonging to the low-risk or rapid recovery groups compared with the high-risk group (all p<0.05).

conclusionsDistinct trajectories of swallowing function recovery were observed in adult ICU patients after orotracheal extubation. Several clinical factors were associated with more favourable recovery patterns. These findings may help improve the understanding of heterogeneity in postextubation swallowing function and inform future risk stratification and individualised management strategies. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval and consent to participate in the trial were approved by the Institutional Research Ethics Committee of General Hospital of Northern Theatre, Shenyang, Liaoning province, PR China (Project Number: Y (2023)232). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. All procedures were conducted in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations and the Declaration of Helsinki.