OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics and risk factors of dysphagia using the videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS) with a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) in patients with acute cerebral infarctions. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the baseline VFSS in 275 stroke patients was analyzed. We divided patients into 8 groups according to lesion areas commonly observed on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Dysphagia characteristics and severity were evaluated using the VDS. We also analyzed the relationship between clinical and functional parameters based on medical records and VDS scores. RESULTS: In comparison studies of lesions associated with swallowing dysfunction, several groups with significant differences were identified. Apraxia was more closely associated with cortical middle cerebral artery territory lesions. Vallecular and pyriform sinus residue was more common with lesions in the medulla or pons. In addition, the results for the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), a functional assessment tool, corresponded to those in the quantitative evaluation of swallowing dysfunctions. CONCLUSION: A large cohort of patients with cerebral infarction was evaluated to determine the association between brain lesions and swallowing dysfunction. The results can be used to establish a specific treatment plan. In addition, the characteristic factors associated with swallowing dysfunctions were also confirmed.
Apraxias ; Brain* ; Cerebral Infarction* ; Cohort Studies ; Deglutition ; Deglutition Disorders* ; Evaluation Studies as Topic ; Fluoroscopy ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Medical Records ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Pons ; Pyriform Sinus ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke

Purpose: : Job stress is a risk factor for depression. Many employees work in teams. However, few studies have examined the effect of team work and team climate on employees’ mental health in the workplace. We investigated the associations between team work and depression among Korean employees. Methods: : We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), a cross-sectional national survey. The sample comprised 30,235 wage employees over the age of 15, including 14,555 men and 15,680 women. To measure team work, respondents were asked, “Do you work in a group or team that has common tasks and can plan its work?” Depressive mood was measured using the 5-item World Health Organization (WHO-5) Well-Being Index. The analysis was conducted by univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses to estimate the effect of team work on depressive mood. Results : Depressive mood was observed in 26.6% of team employees and 29.5% of those without a team (out of all wage employees), indicating a significant difference. After adjusting for demographic and workplace characteristics as potential confounding variables, as compared to non-team work, the odds ratios of depressive mood for team work were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.88–1.04) for men, which was not statistically significant, and 0.80 (95% CI: 0.73–0.87) for women, which was statistically significant. Conclusion : Our findings can be used to develop safety and health policies to improve the mental health of Korean employees. Reorganizing companies to support team work would also benefit the mental health of wage employees, especially female employees.