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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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| Associations between malnutrition, poor general health and oral dryness in hospitalized elderly patients | | Author(s) | Valérie Dormenval, Ejvind Budtz-J_rgensen, Philippe Mojon |
| Journal title | Age and Ageing, vol 27, no 2, March 1998 |
| Pages | pp 123-128 |
| Keywords | In-patients ; Malnutrition ; Ill health ; Body fluids ; Dehydration ; Correlation ; Switzerland. |
| Annotation | Advancing age increases the risk of developing malnutrition. This study examines the relationship between indices of malnutrition, general health (serum albumin concentration), salivary secretion rate and dry mouth feeling in 99 older Swiss hospitalised patients (mean age 82.5). Anthropometric examinations indicated malnutrition of severe or intermediate degree in about 50%, while 46% showed moderately and 40% severely reduced albumin. Loss of appetite was present in 54%; and 51% complained of oral dryness. 17% had an unstimulated salivary flow rate (USFR) <0.1ml/min and 26% a stimulated salivary flow rate (SSFR) of <0.5ml/min. Significant associations were found between: (i) reduced SFR, malnutrition and reduced serum albumin concentration; (ii) recent loss of appetite and low serum albumin concentration; and (iii) complaints of oral dryness and reduced SFR. There were also significant associations between complaints of oral dryness, loss of appetite and low BMI (body mass index). Reduced salivary secretion and complaints of oral dryness could be signs of poor nutritional or general health status, and can also have a negative effect on feeding, appetite and oral comfort. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-981208220 A |
| Classmark | LF7: CSM: CH: BKW: CST: 49: 76C |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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