Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults Aged 60 Years or Older Increases the Chances of Developing of Nutrition-related Comorbidities
Banda KJ et al. Gerontology. 2022;68:841–853. doi.org/10.1159/000520326
Understanding Odds Ratios
An odds ratio (OR) is a statistic that quantifies the strength of the association between two events, A and B.
An OR of 1 indicates the two events are independent, i.e., the odds of one event are the same in either the presence or absence of the other event.
If the OR is greater than 1, then A and B are associated (correlated) in the sense that, compared to the absence of B, the presence of B raises the odds of A.
Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is a serious health condition associated with poor survival and quality of life in adults aged 60 years and older. A meta-analysis, published in 2022, included 39 studies with 31,488 participants. The analysis examined the pooled prevalence of OD and the risk of certain comorbidities, several of which are related to nutrition.
Findings include:
Participants with OD were 2.21 times more likely at risk of malnutrition.
Participants with OD were 4.02 times more likely at risk of pressure ulcers.
Malnutrition and wounds are two concerns facing clinicians across the health care spectrum. Timely nutrition assessments and effective medical nutrition therapy interventions are essential to management of these problems.
Comorbidity |
Odds Ratios with Pre-existing Oropharyngeal Dysphagia |
Pneumonia |
2.07 |
Malnutrition |
2.21 |
Mortality |
2.73 |
Pressure (decubitus) ulcer |
4.02 |
Sarcopenia |
3.10 |
Frailty |
2.66 |
Practice Implications
In patients with OD, the management of nutritional problems should be a priority. Oral diets must meet both caloric and protein needs. For patients unable to meet their needs, supplements should be offered.
Medtrition offers a variety of IDDSI Level 4 products to address each patient’s unique medical situation.
Wounds
45 calories
10 grams protein
Sugar-free
2-ounce gelatin cup
Once daily dosing
IDDSI Level 4 for dysphagia
Item 18803 Tropical Fruit
Protein
Deficiency
80-90 calories
20 grams protein
Sugar-free
IDDSI Level 4 for dysphagia
4-ounce gelatin cup
Good for clear liquid diets
Item 11691 Orange
Item 11692 Lime
Item 11693 Fruit Punch
Item 11681 Grape
Protein and
Calorie Deficiency
160 calories
20 grams protein
IDDSI Level 4 for dysphagia
4-ounce gelatin cup
Good for clear liquid diets
Item 11701 Cherry
Item 11703 Lemon
Item 11705 Pineapple
