Swallowing symptoms increase the risk of dynapenia in community-dwelling oldest old: A retrospective cohort study

• Published in: Revista CEFAC Vol. 26; no. 5
• Main Authors: Ortega, Natália Conessa, Souza, Cinthia Madeira de, Neri, Anita Liberalesso, Soares, Vinicius Nagy, Mourão, Lúcia Figueiredo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: ABRAMO Associação Brasileira de Motricidade Orofacial 2024
• Subjects: REHABILITATION; Aging; Muscle Strength; Deglutition Disorders
• ISSN: 1516-1846; 1982-0216; 1982-0216
• DOI: 10.1590/1982-0216/202426511423

ABSTRACT Purpose: to investigate the association between swallowing symptoms and dynapenia in Brazilian older adults, of an 8-year follow-up cohort study. Methods: a retrospective cohort analysis using data from the FIBRA (Brazilian Elderly Frailty) study, at a baseline survey in 2008-2009 and follow-up in 2016-2017. Swallowing complaints were assessed by nine dichotomous questions and dynapenia was assessed using handgrip strength. Principal component analysis was used to determine the swallowing complaints, and logistic regression models were used to associate swallowing complaints at the baseline with dynapenia at the follow-up. Statistical models were adjusted for demographic characteristics, body mass index (BMI), chronic diseases, cognition, and physical performance. Descriptive and comparative statistics were used, considering p < 0.05. Results: 404 older adults were included, predominantly women (68.3%). Principal Component Analysis determined the swallowing symptoms change in taste, difficulty or pain in chewing hard food, difficulty or pain to swallow, and feeling of still or stuck food. According to the logistic regression model, older adults who reported swallowing symptoms at baseline, exhibited risk of developing dynapenia at the follow-up (odds ratio=1.384, 95% CI: 1.119 to 1.713, p=0.003). The difficulty or pain to swallow associated with age, sex, years of education, and number of chronic diseases consisted of self-report, cognitive functioning, and physical performance increased the risk of dynapenia in four times for (OR=5.744; 95% CI: 2.187 to 15.088; p<0.001). Conclusions: the study revealed that the swallowing symptoms at baseline exhibited risk of developing dynapenia at follow-up in older adults. This research reinforces the importance of longitudinal studies incorporating variables such as swallowing symptoms, sociodemographic aspects, BMI, cognitive decline, and physical performance and muscular strength to better understand the significance of swallowing symptoms in the aging process.