Neck Circumference Is Not Associated with Dysphagia but with Undernutrition in Elderly Individuals Requiring...

The purpose was to assess the association between neck circumference, dysphagia, and undernutrition in elderly individuals requiring long-term care.

Cross-sectional study.

Geriatric health services facilities, acute hospitals, and the community.

Elderly individuals ≥65 years of age with dysphagia or possible dysphagia (N=385).

Neck circumference, the Dysphagia Severity Scale (DSS) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF).

Participants included 130 males and 255 females with a mean age (± standard deviation) of 83 ± 8.0 years. Sixty-six were in acute hospitals, 195 were in geriatric health services facilities, and 124 were community-dwelling. The mean neck circumference in males and females was 37.1 ± 3.0 cm and 33.3 ± 3.3 cm, respectively. Based on the DSS, 81 participants were within normal limits, 137 had dysphagia without aspiration, and 167 had dysphagia with aspiration. The MNA-SF revealed that 173 were malnourished, 172 were at risk of malnutrition, and 40 had a normal nutritional status. Neck circumference was not significantly correlated with the DSS (r=-0.080) but was significantly correlated with the MNA-SF (r=0.183) in the Spearman rank correlation analysis. In the logistic regression, neck circumference was not independently associated with the DSS after adjusting for the MNA-SF, the Barthel Index, age, sex, setting, and cerebrovascular disorders. However, the multiple regression analysis showed that neck circumference had an independent effect on the MNA-SF after adjusting for the Barthel Index, age, sex, setting and cerebrovascular disorders.

Neck circumference is not associated with dysphagia but with undernutrition in elderly individuals requiring long-term care.