Turkish Validity and Reliability of the Bolus Residue Scale in Acute Stroke

Turkish Validity and Reliability of the Bolus Residue Scale (BRS) in Patients With Acute Stroke

This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Bolus Residue Scale (BRS) in patients with acute stroke. The study has a methodological, observational, and cross-sectional design. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) recordings will be scored independently by trained raters using the BRS. Psychometric properties including construct validity, criterion validity, inter-rater and intra-rater reliability will be analyzed.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of acute stroke confirmed by neurological and radiological evaluation
• Age 18 years and older
• Undergoing videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) as part of routine clinical assessment
• Ability to participate in swallowing assessment procedures
• Provision of written informed consent by the patient or a legal representative

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of head and neck cancer or head and neck surgery
• Pre-existing neurological diseases affecting swallowing (e.g., Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
• Structural abnormalities of the upper aerodigestive tract
• Severe cognitive impairment preventing cooperation with assessment procedures
• Incomplete or poor-quality VFSS recordings unsuitable for analysis