Background: Stroke is the leading cause of disability in adult life. Oropharyngeal dysphagia occurs in 65-90% of cases, and its identification in the acute phase of stroke can prevent complications.
Aims: To verify whether oropharyngeal dysphagia during stroke hospitalization is associated with functional capacity assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRs) and mortality 90 days after stroke. 
Methods: A prospective cohort study evaluating 201 patients hospitalized at the Stroke Unit was carried out. Dysphagia was evaluated during hospitalization using a specific protocol to evaluate swallowing biomechanics and the functional oral intake scale (FOIS), in which FOIS 1-3: tube feeding; 4-5: oral feeding requiring food consistency changes; and 6-7: no changes in food consistency. The mRs≥3 at 90 days after discharge was considered disability. The data were adjusted for National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, sex, age, type of stroke, and thrombolysis. The significance level was 5%.
Results: Of the 201 patients evaluated, 42.8% (86) who had dysphagia were older and had a higher severity of stroke. A FOIS score of 6-7 may be a protective factor against disability (mRs<3) (p=0.007). Scores of 1-3 on the FOIS increased the chance of an mRs≥3 after 90 days by 2.88 times (p=0.03), and the use of tube feeding at hospital discharge increased the chance of an mRs≥3 by 13.9 times (p=0.002). Dysphagia at admission (p=0.04) and tube feeding at hospital discharge (p=0.007) increased the chance of mortality within 90 days after stroke.
Conclusion: Dysphagia and tube feeding use during hospitalization are associated with disability and mortality 90 days after stroke.

THE INFLUENCE OF OROPHARYNGEAL DYSPHAGIA IN FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY AND MORTALITY 90 DAYS AFTER THE STROKE