Investigation of Pneumonia Rates in Enteral Fed Patients with Two Different Oral Care Methods: Pilot Study in Patients with Acute Stroke

Objective: This study compared the impact of two different oral care methods on the incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia in patients who were fed via nasogastric tube and had no oral intake after a stroke. Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Neurology Intensive Care Unit of Ege University Hospital between August 2020 and April 2021. Different oral care protocols were administered to both groups for seven days. Data were collected using the Patient Information Form, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, the Glasgow Coma Scale, the Bedside Oral Exam and Patient Follow-up Form. Oral care was applied to both the intervention and control groups for seven days, with oral health and saliva pH measured and recorded. The diagnosis of pneumonia was made by the Infectious Diseases unit based on physical examination, blood tests, and chest X-rays. Results: The difference in the seven-day oral health assessment scores between the intervention and control groups was found to be significant (P