Dysphagia in Mexican older adults with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

INTRODUCTION

Dysphagia and cognitive impairment are common in older people. It is linked to alterations in brain areas related to swallowing.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the characteristics of dysphagia using fluoroscopy in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

158 participants from a memory clinic. Specific criteria for MCI and dementia were used. Dysphagia was assessed with EAT-10 (≥ 3). Those who accepted completed a fluoroscopy study with a barium swallow to evaluate the phases of swallowing; the presence of bronchoaspiration supported the diagnosis of dysphagia. A logistic regression analysis was performed to test the probability between dysphagia and MCI.

RESULTS

According to EAT-10, 86 (54.4 %) were at risk of dysphagia, confirmed in 84 by fluoroscopy, 53.8 % MCI group and 46.2 % dementia. An inverse association was observed in the MCI oral phase group (OR 0.23, p < 0.025), and a positive association; in protection phase against regurgitation (OR 3.76, p < 0.056) and laryngeal muscle contraction (OR 3.22, p < 0.045) versus dementia group.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed a high frequency of dysphagia in patients with MCI, this highlights the importance of its early detection to improve complications associated with dysphagia.