SUMMARY OBJECTIVE The aim was to evaluate the prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) and its association with body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and functionality among institutionalized older adults. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted. The swallowing function and diagnosis of OD were evaluated with a volume-viscosity swallow test. Activities of daily living were evaluated by the Barthel Index. Body composition was evaluated by BIA, and phase angle (PhA) was determined. RESULTS Eighty institutionalized older adults were evaluated. The mean age of the study population was 82±9.5 years, and 65% were females. The OD prevalence was 30%, dependence was 30%, and sarcopenia was 16%. In the multivariate analysis, a low PhA (<3.5°) was independently associated with the presence of OD adjusted by sex and age (OR: 2.60, 95%CI 2.41–2.90, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS A higher prevalence of OD was found. Significant and independent associations were found between low PhA, dependence, and sarcopenia with the presence of OD among institutionalized older persons.

Background and objective: Sarcopenia is a geriatric syndrome associated with adverse events. The aim of the present study was to assess the sarcopenia prevalence and its association with the functionality in elderly inpatient. Patients and methods: A cross sectional study, during 6 months were included elderly inpatients to determine the presence of sarcopenia using the Baumgartner method. The functionality to perform basic activities of daily living (ABVD) was determined by the Katz index. Student´s t test or U de Mann-Whitney was used to assess the differences between two groups and one-factor ANOVA or Kruskal Wallis for multiple comparisons; X² and Fisher´s exact test were used to compare the categorical variables and the Pearson correlation was calculated to determine the correlations between variables. Results: 102 patients were included, 41 women and 61 man; subjects had a mean age of 71±8.6 years, body mass index 27.8±5.2 kg/m², grip strength 14.9±8.3 kg, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (MMEA) 17.6±4.3 kg and skeletal muscle mass index (IMME) 7.1±1.2 kg/m². The global prevalence of sarcopenia was 27.5%, was major in men (RR 1.33; CI 95% 1.06-1.67 p<0.05). There was a significant decrease on the grip strength (r=-.341) and MMEA (r=-.231) (p<0.05); sarcopenia was associated to a major dependence in both genders (p<0.05). Conclusions: Sarcopenia is a frequent condition in the elderly inpatients associated with the functionality's deterioration, identifying it help to perform a primary or secondary prevention and opportunity treatment.

Fundamento y objetivo: La sarcopenia es un síndrome geriátrico asociado con eventos adversos. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la prevalencia de sarcopenia en los adultos mayores (AM) hospitalizados y su asociación con la funcionalidad para realizar las actividades básicas de la vida diaria (ABVD). Pacientes y método: Estudio transversal, se incluyeron durante 6 meses AM hospitalizados para determinar con el método de Baumgartner la presencia de sarcopenia y la funcionalidad para realizar las ABVD que se determinó con el índice de Katz. Se usaron X² y prueba exacta de Fisher para comparar las variables categóricas entre los grupos; t de Student o U de Mann-Whitney para comparar 2 grupos de datos cuantitativos y ANOVA o Kruskal Wallis para comparar más de 2 grupos según su distribución y los coeficientes de correlación de Pearson. Resultados: Se incluyeron 102 pacientes, 41 mujeres y 61 hombres; con edad de 71±8.6 años, índice de masa corporal 27.8±5.2 kg/m², fuerza prensil 14.9±8.3 kg, masa muscular esquelética apendicular (MMEA) 17.6±4.3 kg e índice de masa muscular esquelética (IMME) 7.1±1.2 kg/ m². La prevalencia global de sarcopenia fue de 27.5%, siendo mayor en los hombres (RR 1.33; IC95% 1.06-1.67 p<0.05). A mayor edad se observó disminución significativa de la fuerza prensil (r=-.341) y la MMEA (r=-.231), la sarcopenia se asoció a mayor dependencia en ambos géneros (p<0.05). Conclusiones: La sarcopenia es una condición frecuente en los AM hospitalizados asociada con el deterioro de la funcionalidad, identificarla permite realizar su prevención primaria o secundaria y tratarla oportunamente.