Premium
Nutrition, general health status and oral health status in hospitalised elders
Author(s) -
Dormenval Valéric,
BudtzJørgensen Ejvind,
Mojon Philippe,
Bruyère André,
Rapin CharlesHenri
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
gerodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1741-2358
pISSN - 0734-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-2358.1995.tb00134.x
Subject(s) - medicine , malnutrition , anthropometry , appetite , protein–energy malnutrition , masticatory force , weight loss , body mass index , skin fold , poor appetite , swallowing , serum albumin , pediatrics , surgery , obesity , dentistry
Biological malnutrition was assessed and correlated with salivary flow rates and oral health in 99 elderly, hospitalised non‐psychiatric patients. The indicators of protein malnutrition used were arm circumference and serum albumin level and the indicators of energy malnutrition the body mass‐index and the triceps skin‐fold thickness. Unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rates were measured according to Sreebny et al. 1 . Of the patients, 40% showed severely and 46% moderately reduced serum albumin levels and the anthropometric measurements indicated malnutrition in about 50%. Unstimulated hyposialia ( 0.1 ml/min) and stimulated hyposialia ( 0.5 ml/min) were observed in 17% and 26.5%, respectively. Significant associations ( P 0.05) were found between stimulated / unstimulated hyposialia and biological malnutrition. There was a negative relationship between the number of masticatory movements until swallowing a standard biscuit and skin fold thickness ( P 0.05). Current weight loss and biological malnutrition were related to poor appetite ( P 0.05). The study has confirmed poor general and oral health status as well as protein‐energy malnutrition among elderly hospitalised patients. This situation was associated with loss of appetite, reduced salivary flow rates and a certain impairment of masticatory function which could jeopardise the reversibility of malnutrition and lead to increased morbidity and mortality.