Background: Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a relevant disease among older adults and is associated with serious adverse health-related outcomes, such as malnutrition, sarcopenia, or frailty. Increasing its recognition and the related mechanisms will allow us to its prevention and treatment at different levels of care.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and biological correlates of OD in outpatient older adults.
Method: This is a cross-sectional study including 100 adults aged 60 or older from a geriatric clinic of a tertiary hospital in Mexico City. Health variables and geriatric syndromes were recorded. The Eating Assessment Tool-10 detection test and the volume-viscosity swallowing test were used to diagnose OD. Logistic regression models were performed to identify the factors associated with OD.
Results: Mean age was 81.2 (±7.5) years and 21% had OD. The presence of xerostomia (p = 0.05) and a worst nutritional status (p = 0.035) were obtained.
Conclusions: The prevalence of OD among older adults was high. Inadequate nutrition status and the presence of xerostomia are more likely to be present with this swallowing disorder.
Keywords: Malnutrition; Swallowing disorder; Xerostomia.
© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.