Associação entre o uso de polimedicação e disfagia orofaríngea

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the presence of oropharyngeal dysphagia in the elderly population regarding polypharmacy usage compared to those who do not. Method: This is an observational, descriptive, and controlled cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 39 patients, divided into two groups: 19 in the control group and 20 in the study group. Inclusion criteria considered patients of both genders aged 60 years or older. Exclusion criteria included patients under 60 years old and those with incomplete information for data collection. Absolute and relative frequency distributions of categorical variables were performed. Bivariate analysis based on the median of categorical variables was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, depending on the distribution of expected frequencies. Pearson correlation and simple linear regression were used for quantitative variables, with a significance level of 0.05. Results: The 39 participants had a median age of 68 years (Q25-Q75: 63-77), ranging from 61 to 91 years, and a median of 5 (Q25-Q75: 3-5) medications. The majority (n=30) had an underlying disease, with only nine (23.1%) being idiopathic. Most participants exhibited multiple swallows and made an effort to swallow. Conclusion: There was no significant difference between the groups of elderly individuals with oropharyngeal dysphagia regarding polypharmacy usage. However, a weak positive correlation with xerostomia was observed.