Correlation Between Self-Perceived Aging and Oral Frailty in Elderly Chinese Patients with Ischemic Stroke

Oral frailty (OF) is defined as an age-related decline in physiological reserve resulting from the accumulation of oral functional deterioration and oral health problems, typically manifested as impairments in mastication, swallowing, tongue pressure, and salivary secretion. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-perceived aging (SPA) and OF in elderly Chinese patients with ischemic stroke.

A total of 500 elderly ischemic stroke patients were included from the neurology outpatient clinic and inpatient ward of the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University from January to September 2025. Patients completed general demographic questionnaires, the Brief Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (B-APQ), and the Oral Frailty Index-8 (OFI-8). Participants were classified into OF and Non-OF groups. Baseline demographics, clinical data, B-APQ and OFI-8 scores were compared between groups. Logistic regression analysis identified independent risk factors for OF, while Pearson correlation analysis assessed the relationship between SPA and OF.

488 elderly patients with ischemic stroke were ultimately included in this study. The average B-APQ score among elderly ischemic stroke patients was 53.18±11.16. The prevalence of OF was 74.6%, with an average OFI-8 score of 6.14±3.53. Logistic multivariate regression analysis identified age (OR=1.156), score of National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (OR=1.298), infarct area (OR=2.340), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (OR=1.183), and B-APQ score (OR=1.423) were factors significantly associated with OF (P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between B-APQ and OFI-8 scores (P<0.05).

Elderly Chinese patients with ischemic stroke have a relatively high prevalence of OF. Advanced age, severity of baseline illness, and SPA significantly influence OF. Higher SPA levels correspond to more severe OF.