Dental and gastrointestinal changes as indicators of nutritional depletion in elderly inpatients.

OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to identify the associations between the nutritional status of elderly patients and length of hospital stay and presence of dental and gastrointestinal changes. CASUISTIC AND METHOD:This cross-sectional study analyzed anthropometric and food intake indicators, dental and gastrointestinal changes and length of hospital stay of 441 elderly patients of both genders. The Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to verify the correlation between the nutritional status of the elderly patients and length of hospital stay and presence of dental and gastrointestinal changes. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS:Dietary and anthropometric variables as well as length of hospital stay were similar for patients with and without dental changes. Patients with gastrointestinal changes consumed less energy (P < 0.05) than patients without gastrointestinal changes. Length of hospital stay was inversely correlated with body mass index (r = -0.15; P < 0.05); arm circumference was inversely correlated with presence of dental changes (r = -0.12; P < 0.05) and mid-arm muscle circumference was inversely correlated with gastrointestinal changes (r = -0.12; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION:Dental and gastrointestinal changes are important indicators of nutritional depletion and dietary intake of inpatients.