• Bridget Hathaway, Alec Vaezi, Ann Marie Egloff, Libby Smith, Tamara Wasserman-Wincko, and Jonas T Johnson.
• Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA hathbc@upmc.edu.
• Ann Oto Rhinol Laryn. 2014 Sep 1; 123 (9): 629-35.

ObjectiveDeconditioning and frailty may contribute to dysphagia and aspiration. Early identification of patients at risk of aspiration is important. Aspiration prevention would lead to reduced morbidity and health care costs. We therefore wondered whether objective measurements of frailty could help identify patients at risk for dysphagia and aspiration.MethodsConsecutive patients (n = 183) were enrolled. Patient characteristics and objective measures of frailty were recorded prospectively. Variables tested included age, body mass index, grip strength, and 5 meter walk pace. Statistical analysis tested for association between these parameters and dysphagia or aspiration, diagnosed by instrumental swallowing examination.ResultsOf variables tested for association with grip strength, only age category (P = .003) and ambulatory status (P < .001) were significantly associated with grip strength in linear regression models. Whereas walk speed was not associated with dysphagia or aspiration, ambulatory status was significantly associated with dysphagia and aspiration in multivariable model building.ConclusionNonambulatory status is a predictor of aspiration and should be included in risk assessments for dysphagia. The relationship between frailty and dysphagia deserves further investigation. Frailty assessments may help identify those at risk for complications of dysphagia.© The Author(s) 2014.

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