Benefit of Thick Liquids in Alzheimer Disease and Dysphagia Unclear
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, May 6, 2024 -- For hospitalized patients with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) and dysphagia, those receiving thick liquids are less likely to be intubated but have no difference in hospital mortality compared with those receiving thin liquids, according to a study published online May 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Alexander Makhnevich, M.D., from Northwell in New Hyde Park, New York, and colleagues examined whether a diet of thick versus thin liquids is associated with improved outcomes for hospitalized patients with ADRD and dysphagia. Adults aged 65 years and older with ADRD who were admitted across 11 hospitals in New York between Jan. 1, 2017, and Sept. 20, 2022, with clinical suspicion of dysphagia during hospitalization were included and categorized according to whether at least 75 percent of their hospital diet consisted of a thick or thin liquid diet.
The propensity score-matched analysis included 8,916 patients with ADRD and dysphagia; 4,458 patients receiving a thick liquid diet were matched to 4,458 patients receiving a thin liquid diet. The researchers found that hospital mortality did not differ significantly between the thick and thin liquid groups. Patients receiving thick liquids were less likely to be intubated than those receiving thin liquids; they were also more likely to have respiratory complications.
"Findings of this cohort study highlight the need for prospective studies to assess whether use of thick liquids is associated with improved clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with ADRD and dysphagia," the authors write.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2024
Read this next
Study Looks at Links Between Cognition, Psychopathology, Weight in Preteens
WEDNESDAY, June 5, 2024 -- Lower cognition and greater psychopathology at baseline are associated with increased weight gain for children entering adolescence, according to a...
Odds of Death Lower With Surgery for Hip Fracture in Patients With Dementia
MONDAY, June 3, 2024 -- For community-dwelling patients with dementia and fracture of the femoral head and neck, the odds of death are lower for those treated surgically...
Preeclampsia Linked to Increased Risk for Young-Onset Dementia
FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- Individuals with preeclampsia have an increased risk for young-onset dementia, according to a research letter published online May 30 in JAMA Network...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.