Risk Factors Associated to Aspiration Pneumonia in Adults and Elderly Patients: A Scoping Review

Aspiration Pneumonia has a significant impact on individuals of all age groups, which can result in morbidity and a substantial reduction in the quality of life. The objective of this study was to map, through a scoping review, the risk factors associated to aspiration pneumonia in adult and elderly patients. Mapping and analyzing these factors are essential to understand and manage aspiration pneumonia, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge about this clinical condition. This scoping review is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. EMBASE, LILACS, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and gray literature databases were systematically searched. The acronym 'PCCS' was used to consider the eligibility of studies for this review, where: P = Population (≥ 18 years of age), C = Concept (risk factors), C = Context (aspiration pneumonia), S = Studies (observational, interventional, cross-sectional studies, randomized, non-randomized and pseudo-randomized clinical studies). There were no restrictions regarding gender, ethnicity of individuals, language of the studies and date of publication. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using six electronic databases: EMBASE, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Livivo, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. In addition, gray literature was also explored through AshaWire, Google Scholar, Open Gray, and ProQuest. There were no restrictions regarding gender, ethnicity, language, time of publication, or diagnosis. A total of 3,183 articles were identified, including results from the gray literature. After screening, 56 articles were included. Significant risk factors related to aspiration pneumonia were identified. The risks include aspects such as dysphagia, aspiration, nutrition, neurological conditions, malnutrition, dehydration, changes in body mass index, skeletal mass index, mobility, and dependence on activities. Furthermore, hospital institutionalization, including length of stay, endotracheal intubation, and mechanical ventilation, is also associated.