Correlation of Prosthodontic Status, Quality of Life and Malnutrition in Geriatric Patients

Objectives: Malnutrition is one of the most common diseases in the elderly. In residential care homes and hospitals for acute cases the prevalence is up to 60%. It was the aim of this study to evaluate a possible correlation between the prosthodontic status (PS), the chewing efficiency (CE), the Quality of Life (OHIP-G14), different blood parameters, Mini Mental Status (MMS, Folstein) and Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) in geriatric patients.
Methods: In 88 patients (age 60-90 years, mean 77 years) of a geriatric hospital (St. Bonifatius Hospital, Lingen, Germany) PS (fixed, removable, A=good/acceptable, B=poor/repair-prone), MMS, MNA, nutrition blood parameters, CE test (Carot test: good, sufficient, insufficient; http://iadr.confex.com/iadr/2011sandiego/webprogramschedule/Paper149080.html) and OHIP-G14 were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s Exact Test, Median Two-Sample Test and classification in three categories for blood parameters (within, above, below reference range).
Results: There was a significant correlation between PS and CE (p<0.001). MNA and CE revealed a good correlation (p=0,011). There was a weak though not significant correlation between CE and some blood parameters (ferritin, cholinesterase, albumin, vitamin B1/E, beta carotene) and between MNA and some blood parameters (ferritin, cholinesterase, albumin, HDL, selenium, vitamin A/B1). PS was highly correlated to the oral health related quality of life (OHIP-G14; p=0,0013). 75% of the group with good/acceptable prostheses and less than 50% of the group with poor/repair-prone prostheses of the patients were in good mental constitution (MMSA≥26).
Conclusions: Within the limits of this study it can be concluded that though there was a good correlation between PS and CE the impact on the nutritional parameters was weaker than anticipated. Patients with fixed prostheses declare a better oral health related quality of life than patients with removable prostheses.