Asociación entre candidiasis bucal y pacientes con fragilidad de los centros gerontológicos de Guayaquil-Ecuador.

Abstract

Background: Oral candidiasis is an infectious pathology that increases the risk of appearance in older adults, due to poor hygiene, removable dental prosthesis, reduction in salivary secretion, etc., generating symptoms such as burning, pain and dysphagia, which could promote alterations in the nutritional status, increasing the fragility process. Objective: To evaluate the association between oral candidiasis and the presence of frailty in institutionalized participants. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study carried out in the residences of the city of Guayaquil. 589 older adults >65 years old were evaluated. The use and hygiene of the removable dental prosthesis were analyzed, in addition to the inspection of the soft tissues to make the diagnosis of candidiasis. Frailty was evaluated through Fried's criteria, participants were classified as frail, pre-frail and robust. Results: Of the 589 older adults evaluated, 65% were women. The most affected topographic site was the dorsum of the tongue with the diagnosis of pseudomembranous candidiasis (15.94%) followed by hyperplastic candidiasis (73.9%). A statistically significant association with frailty was found in participants who presented subprosthetic candidiasis and hyposalivation (23.0%). The most prevalent type of species was Candida albicans with 70.7%. Conclusion: Frailty and candidiasis had a higher prevalence in institutionalized older adults with early old age, and occurred commonly in females. This syndrome had a statistically significant association with subprosthetic candidiasis and hyposalivation.