Dysphagia in people with dementia

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundDysphagia is a common complication in multiple neurodegenerative disorders, influencing quality of life and long term prognosis. In dementia, data regarding prevalence of dysphagia and secondary complications such as aspiration pneumonia is not well understood.Aim of the study: to assess the prevalence of dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia in patients with dementia.MethodCross‐sectional study that included patients previously diagnosed with dementia, evaluated in the outpatient clinic or admitted in the Department of Neurology, County Clinic Hospital Brasov. We evaluated the patients using a standardized protocol that included the MMSE, MoCA scale, Gugging Swallowing Screen, fiberoptic evaluation of swallowing and FEDSS scale.Resultthere were 42 patients with dementia included in the study (57,14% females) with a mean age of 69.7 ±9,1 years. The mean MMSE score was 16.8 ± 4.4. Dysphagia was present in 9 patients (21.42%). Pneumonia was encountered in 33.3% of the dysphagic patients, and it was associated with high mortality. The major secondary risk factors for pneumonia were older age, obesity, smoking and diabetes. Patients with a lower score on the MMSE/MoCA scale had a higher risk of developing dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia. Mortality in the dysphagic group was higher when compared with the non‐dysphagic group (44.2% vs. 21.2%).ConclusionDysphagia has an important impact on the clinical outcome of the patients with dementia, increasing the risk of institutionalization and mortality and being associated with dependency and poor quality of life.