AIM: To observe the effect of early intervention for impaired swallowing and nutritional status of total body in patients with acute cerebral infarction in unilateral cerebral hemisphere. METHODS: A total of 61 patients with more than grade III cerebral infarction in unilateral cerebral hemisphere were evaluated by water drinking test in the Jiangmen People's Hospital from February 2002 to August 2003, and then were divided randomly into two groups:experimental group (n = 31) and control group (n = 30). Rats all received routine drug treatment; meanwhile, experimental group received early intervention, including the adjustment of food shape, ingestive posture and eating times, feeding through nasal feeding tube, throat swab training and electro acupuncture treatment. Rats in control group received routine diet. The following indexes were detected before and at day 14 after treatment: (1) the swallowing function was evaluated by using water drinking test, grade I was excellent and grade V was disturbance; (2) the dystrophy was classified into middle, moderate and severe levels evaluated with nutritional marker; (3) the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia was detected by using x ray. RESULTS: According to intention to treat, all 61 patients were involved in the result analysis. (1) Swallowing function: grade IV occurred in 11 cases, grade V occurred in 20 cases before treatment in experimental group, grade I indicated in 29 cases, grade II in 2 cases after treatment; grade IV in 10 cases, grade V in 20 cases before treatment in control group, grade I in 5 cases, grade II in 19 cases, grade III in 3 cases, grade IV in 2 cases, and grade V in 1 case after treatment. The recovery of swallowing function was superior in experimental group as compared with control group (p < 0.01). (2) Nutritional status: on the first day when hospitalization, mild dystrophy occurred in 3 cases, after 14 day treatment, mild in 5 cases, moderate in 1 case in experimental group; on the first day when hospitalization, mild in 2 case, after 14 day treatment, mild in 10 cases, moderate in 8 cases, severe in 12 cases in control group. The number of patients with severe dystrophy in experimental group decreased obviously as compared with control group (p < 0.01). (3) The occurrence of aspiration pneumonia in experimental group (0 case) decreased obviously as compared with that in control group (8 cases)(p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Early intervention can significantly improve the swallowing function and nutritional status of total body, decrease the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia in patients with impaired swallowing due to unilateral acute cerebral infarction. It can provide good conditions for the rehabilitation of neurologic impairment.

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