Relationship between oral health and physical frailty in patients with cardiovascular disease

Oral health is important for maintaining general health and is associated with components of physical frailty among the elderly. Oral health problems are common in hospitalized patients; however, no reports on oral health problems pertain to patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The present study aimed to evaluate the association between oral health and physical frailty in these patients.

In this retrospective cohort study, we included consecutive patients admitted for CVD to our hospital between May 2014 and December 2018. Physical frailty was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Oral health characteristics, such as the number of remaining teeth, denture use, occlusal support, and periodontal status, were assessed.

In our cohort (n = 457), 111 (24.3%) patients had physical frailty. Univariate linear regression showed that the number of teeth present and the prevalence of occlusal support were significantly lower in patients with than without physical frailty. Pearson correlation indicated that the number of teeth significantly correlated with the nutritional status (r = 0.27) and SPPB score (r = 0.24), grip strength (r = 0.33), and 6-minute walking distance (r = 0.26). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the number of teeth was independently associated with physical frailty after adjusting for confounders.

Oral health was closely associated with physical frailty, and nutritional status in patients with CVD; thus, it could be an important screening marker for early frailty symptoms and a predictor of future malnutrition risk.