Abstract
Introduction Feeding, swallowing and breathing are fundamental activities for the survival and
well-being of humans; these functions are performed by the most complex neuromuscular
unit of the human body, which, when altered, may raise morbidity and mortality rates.
Objective To evaluate deglutition in patients with mental disability in order to determine
the incidence and the severity of dysphagia.
Methods A total of 189 institutionalized adult patients with mental disability were analyzed
using a 3.2 mm flexible fiberscope (Machida, Japan 1995). The following food consistencies
were tested: pasty, thickened liquid and liquid.
Results Among the total of 189 patients, 101 (53.4%) were female aged between 14 and 55 years
old. Most of them 120 (63.5%) had profound mental deficiency, 58 (30.7%) had severe
mental deficiency, 9 (4.8%) had moderate mental deficiency, and 2 (1.1%) had mild
mental deficiency. Gender and the degree of mental deficiency did not influence significantly
the degree of dysphagia. Age, degree of disability and interaction between age groups
and degrees of disability influenced significantly the degree of dysphagia. Younger
patients are more likely to present more severe dysphagia. Stabilization occurs between
31 and 40 years of age, and above this age, a greater chance of less severe dysphagia,
because the increase in the degree of mental deficiency decreases the probability
of more severe dysphagia.
Conclusion The population that mostly presented severe dysphagia was characterized by being
mostly female, with profound mental deficiency, with an average age of 36.7 years.
There was no relationship between gender and the degree of mental disability concerning
the degree of dysphagia.
Keywords
deglutition disorders - mentally disabled persons - video endoscopy
