P822 - INVESTIGATION AND COMPARISON OF SWALLOWING FUNCTIONS AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN PARKINSON'S PATIENTS (EARLY STAGE - INTERMEDIATE STAGE - ADVANCED STAGE)

P822

INVESTIGATION AND COMPARISON OF SWALLOWING FUNCTIONS AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN PARKINSON'S PATIENTS (EARLY STAGE - INTERMEDIATE STAGE - ADVANCED STAGE)

P. Hakan^1,*, B. M. -², M. S. -², D. A. Ü. -³, A. S. -²

¹Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation , İstinye University, ²Department of Speech and Language Therapy, ³Department of Neurology, İstanbul Atlas University, İstanbul, Türkiye

Rationale: The aim of this study was to evaluate the swallowing function and nutritional status of patients with Parkinson's disease at different stages and to determine the relationship between these two parameters.     

Methods: Method: This cross-sectional study included Parkinson's disease patients aged 65 years and older. The age range of the participants was between 65 and 85 years with a mean age of 73.2 ± 6.3 years. Thirty-two of the participants were male and 28 were female. The patients were divided into three groups according to the Hoehn and Yahr staging system: Early stage ( n=20), intermediate stage (n=20) and advanced stage (n=20). Swallowing functions were evaluated with the EAT-10 (Eating Assessment Tool-10) and SWALL-QOL (Swallowing Quality of Life) questionnaires, which measure swallowing quality along with clinical swallowing assessment. Nutritional status was analyzed Mini Nutritional Assessment - Short Form (MNA-SF). 

Results: As a result of the study, significant deterioration in swallowing functions was observed as the disease stage progressed. SWALL-QOL scores decreased significantly as the stage progressed. In terms of nutritional status, MNA-SF scores were significantly lower in advanced stage patients. A positive correlation (r=0.64, p<0.001) was found between impaired swallowing function and MNA-SF scores.   

Conclusion: In Parkinson's disease, impairment in swallowing functions increases as the stage progresses and this directly affects the nutritional status negatively. Therefore, regular evaluation of patients with Parkinson's disease in terms of swallowing and nutrition from the early stages is of great importance in terms of preventing complications that may arise in the later stages. 

Disclosure of Interest: None declared