Efficacy of an oral intake restoration intervention on timely nasogastric tube removal in older adults with aspiration pneumonia: A randomized controlled trial.

This study evaluated the effects of a nurse-led oral intake restoration intervention on the rate of successful nasogastric (NG) tube removal, duration of NG tube indwelling, NG tube reinsertion, and unplanned hospital readmission among older adults with aspiration pneumonia. A total of 100 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received structured swallowing care education delivered by nurses during hospitalization, followed by continued training after discharge, while the control group received usual care. Data on NG tube removal, duration of NG tube indwelling, NG tube reinsertion, and unplanned hospital readmission were obtained from medical records. Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significantly higher rates of successful NG tube removal both before discharge (30% vs. 12%; odds ratio [OR], 3.14; P = .027) and within 30 days post-discharge (36% vs. 12%; OR, 4.13; P = .005). The mean duration of NG tube indwelling within 30 days post-discharge was shorter in the intervention group than in the control group (39.5 vs. 45.1 days; log-rank = 7.04; P = .008). Additionally, the intervention group had a lower rate of unplanned hospital readmission within 30 days post-discharge (10% vs. 26%; OR, 0.32; P = .037). No significant between-group difference was observed in NG tube reinsertion rates (P = .240). These findings suggest that a nurse-led oral intake restoration intervention is effective in promoting timely NG tube removal, reducing NG tube dependence, and lowering unplanned hospital readmission among older adults with aspiration pneumonia.