To study the clinical data and imaging characteristics of isolated pontine infarction (IPI) complicated with neurogenic dysphagia, analyze the influencing factors，and compare the clinical outcomes.

A total of 128 patients with IPI hospitalized in the Department of Neurology of Suzhou Municipal Hospital from January 2021 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent clinical testing for dysphagia after IPI within 24 hours of admission.Their initial National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score at admission and modified Rankin scale (mRS) score at discharge were recorded. All patients were divided into two groups: dysphagia group and non-dysphagia group. The differences of general clinical data, bilateral IPI and clinical outcomes were compared by univariate analysis (chi-square test, t test and U test). The influencing factors of dysphagia in IPI patients were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression.

Among the 128 patients, 42 cases (32.8%) were in the dysphagia group and 86 cases (67.2%) were in the non-dysphagia group. Compared the two groups, there were statistically significant differences in age [(72.95±9.91) years vs (67.05±11.60) years; t=-2.832, P=0.005], diabetes rate (64.29% vs 39.53%; χ²=5.671, P=0.023), baseline NIHSS score [8.0(4.0, 12.0) score vs 1.0(0.0, 2.0) score; Z=-6.150, P<0.001] on admission, and proportion of bilateral IPI (30.95% vs 2.32%; χ²=22.178, P<0.001). The proportion of adverse outcomes (mRS score ≥3 points) in the dysphagia group was greater than that in the non-dysphagia group, and the difference was statistically significant (80.95% vs 60.47%,χ²=5.373, P=0.015). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=1.059, 95%CI: 1.003-1.118, P=0.037) and baseline NIHSS score (OR=1.487, 95%CI: 1.222-1.810, P＜0.001) were independent risk factors for dysphagia.

Age and high baseline NIHSS score were identified as predictors of dysphagia in patients with IPI. The dysphagia group had a higher proportion of adverse outcomes.