PT13 - IMPAIRED ORAL HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS WITH COGNITIVE AND MOTOR DECLINE IN ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING INDEPENDENCE DURING HOSPITALIZATION ～ DO YOU TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR MOUTH, WHICH IS THE ENTRANCE TO YOUR DIGESTIVE TRACT?

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PT13

IMPAIRED ORAL HEALTH ASSOCIATIONS WITH COGNITIVE AND MOTOR DECLINE IN ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING INDEPENDENCE DURING HOSPITALIZATION ～ DO YOU TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR MOUTH, WHICH IS THE ENTRANCE TO YOUR DIGESTIVE TRACT?

A. Shiraishi1,*

1Kumamoto Rehabilitation Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan

 

Rationale:  Evidence is scarce regarding the association between impaired oral health and alterations in cognitive level among hospitalized older patients. We aimed to evaluate the associations between baseline oral problems and changes in cognitive level in post-stroke patients.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, encompassing consecutively hospitalized post-stroke patients. Revised Oral Assessment Guide (ROAG) as a measure of oral health and function was assessed at admission. Primary outcomes included discharge scores for cognitive function assessed by the cognitive domain of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM-cognition) and the corresponding change in FIM-cognition during hospitalization. Another outcome measure was the motor domain of FIM (FIM-motor). Multivariate linear regression analyses were employed to assess the association between baseline ROAG and the designated outcomes, adjusting for potential confounding factors.

Results: Data from 955 patients (mean age 73.2 years; 53.6% men) were included in the analysis. 
The median ROAG was 10 [9, 12], with 811 patients (84.9%) presenting oral problems. After fully adjusting for confounding factors, the ROAG was significantly and negatively associated with FIM-cognition at discharge (β = -0.107, p = 0.031) and FIM-cognition gain (β = -0.093, p = 0.018). Further, the ROAG was independently and negatively associated with FIM-motor at discharge (β = -0.043, p = 0.013) and FIM-motor gain (β = -0.065, p = 0.013).

Conclusion: Oral problems were associated with compromised cognitive levels and a decline in physical function during the hospitalization in post-stroke patients. These results underscore the critical importance of addressing oral health in this patient population. 

Disclosure of Interest: None declared