AM Magnerou, D Massi Gams, EL Bila Gueumekane, MI Abdoulaye, J Doumbe, V Sini, H Ewodo Touna, Y Njankouo Mapoure, C Kuate-Tegueu
24-Apr-2026
Background: Post-stroke dysphagia is common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Screening is essential but challenging in low-resource settings. Methodology: Cross-sectional study conducted at the Douala General Hospital from March 2023 to February 2024. Consecutive stroke patients were screened using the Gugging Swallowing Screen (GUSS). Results: Among 156 patients included, 62 (39.7%) had dysphagia. Risk factors included advanced age (OR=2.3), severe stroke (OR=3.1), and brainstem location (OR=4.2). Aspiration pneumonia occurred in 18% of patients with dysphagia vs 3% without (p<0.001). Conclusion: Dysphagia is frequent after stroke in our setting. The GUSS is a simple and effective screening tool that should be systematically implemented.
Dysphagia, Stroke, Screening, Low-Resource Settings, Guss