ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN MALNUTRITION, POOR GENERAL HEALTH AND ORAL DRYNESS IN HOSPITALIZED ELDERLY PATIENTS

Objective: to obtain information about the possible relationship betwe en symptoms and signs of oral dryness and malnutrition/poor general he alth in hospitalized older people. Design: a cross-sectional clinical investigation with measurements of unstimulated salivary flow rates (U SFR), stimulated salivary flow rates (SSFR), nutritional status, serum albumin concentration and an evaluation of symptoms of oral dryness a nd loss of appetite by a questionnaire. Subjects and methods: a cohort of 99 elderly non-psychiatric patients hospitalized for medical reaso ns; collection of demographic and health data from medical files, coll ection of USFR and SSFR, measurements of body mass index (BMT), lean b ody mass, fat body mass, serum albumin concentration; completion of a questionnaire related to symptoms of oral dryness and the patients' ap preciation of their nutritional status. Main outcome measures: SSFR an d USFR. Results: mean age of the 99 patients was 82.5 +/- 4.0 years. A nthropometric examinations indicated malnutrition of severe or interme diate degree in about 50% while 46% showed moderately and 40% severely reduced albumin. Loss of appetite was present in 54% and 51% complain ed of oral dryness; 17% had an USFR <0.1 ml/min and 26% a SSFR <0.5 ml /min. Significant associations were found between (i) reduced salivary flow rate, malnutrition and reduced serum albumin concentration, (ii) recent loss of appetite and low serum albumin concentration and (iii) complaints of oral dryness and reduced salivary flow rates. There wer e also significant associations between complaints of oral dryness, lo ss of appetite and low BMI. Conclusion: reduced salivary secretion and complaints of oral dryness could be signs of poor nutritional or gene ral health status of elderly patients. Reduced salivary secretion and feeling of oral dryness could have a negative effect on alimentation, appetite and oral comfort.