Prevalência de alterações bucais em pacientes internados em unidade de terapia intensiva em hospital público do nordeste brasileiro

Abstract

Patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) require care from a multidisciplinary team, since hospitalization can lead to the development and worsening of other conditions, which may reflect on the general condition of these patients. In this context, oral health should also be considered as an important factor that influences their prognosis and general health. The present study sought to assess the prevalence of oral alterations in patients admitted to the ICU and the associated factors. This was an observational study, carried out with 69 patients admitted to the ICU of the general hospital Dr. João Machado/RN, over 18 years old and with a hospital stay of more than 48 hours. Data were collected regarding the general characteristics of the patients (gender, age, underlying diseases, length of stay and clinical outcome) and oral alterations (presence of any condition that alters the normality of the structures of the oral cavity) diagnosed through clinical examination. . For statistical analysis, Pearson's chi-square, relative risk and Fisher's exact tests were performed, with a significance of 95%. Among the participants, 30.4% (n=21) were female and 69.6% (n=48) male, with a mean age of 62 years (± 15.3). The most prevalent oral alterations were: coated tongue (LS) (n=21, 30.9%), traumatic injury (LT) (n=16, 23.5%), dry lips (LR) (n=16, 23 ,%5), hyposalivation (HS) (n=13, 19.1%), lip peeling (DL) (n=11,16.2) and hypersalivation (HPS) (n=10, 14.7%). The most prevalent underlying diseases in patients were arterial hypertension and diabetes. Mechanical ventilation of the orotracheal tube type (OTT) was the most common with 53.6% (n=37). Of these, 36.1% of patients had TL, with the lips (68%) and commissure (25%) being the most affected sites. LT was also associated with arterial hypertension and respiratory tract diseases (p<0.05). Likewise, a statistically significant association was observed between the use of mechanical ventilation and the presence of the following oral alterations: dry lips and labial peeling (p<0.05). Patients using TOT had a 3.8 times greater risk of developing LT and a 2.2 times greater risk of LD involvement compared to those on AA. And hyposalivation showed a significant association with the presence of dry lips (p<0.05). Therefore, it is concluded that the use of TOT and the underlying diseases such as hypertension and respiratory tract disease are associated with the development of oral alterations, highlighting the need for the presence of a dentist in a hospital environment so that prevention, diagnosis can be carried out. and treatment of these oral disorders and contribute to the improvement of the systemic condition of these patients.