Stroke is a common clinical disease resulting in somatic dyskinesia as well as different degrees of dysphagia. The aim of the study was to assess the results obtained from the utilization of 60% barium sulfate suspension and iohexol as contrast agents in video fluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS), and compare the association between the clinical application of the two contrast agents and the incidence of pneumonia. A total of 60 cases of in-patients with dysphagia caused by stroke were selected and divided into two groups based on the diagnostic standard. No obvious differences were evident between the groups with regard to gender, age, position of stroke and the nature of stroke. The patients were divided into an iohexol group of 30 patients administered with 350 mgI/ml iohexol as a contrast agent, and a barium sulfate group of 30 patients administered with 60% barium sulfate suspension as a contrast agent. A VFSS evaluation was implemented before and after 3 weeks of treatment, respectively, and the pharynx transit time was compared between the two groups of contrast agents according to the position of stroke. By using case-control studies, the incidence of pneumonia between the two groups of patients within 2 weeks after hospitalization was analyzed and the association between the complication probability with different contrast agents was analyzed. After 2 weeks in hospital, the incidence of aspiration pneumonia of the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The incidence of pneumonia of the iohexol group was markedly lower than that of the barium sulfate group, which may be important for barium aspiration. In conclusion, in the VFSS of dysphagia after stroke and barium sulfate increased the incidence of pneumonia, and that iohexol was widely used in video fluoroscopy.
