Factores asociados al desarrollo de glosodinia en pacientes geriátricos.

Abstract

Introduction: Glossodynia is a chronic orofacial pain condition characterized by persistent burning and pain in the tongue, without evident clinical alterations explaining the symptoms. Its multifactorial nature and diagnostic difficulty require a comprehensive approach, especially in institutionalized older adults. Objective: To determine the factors associated with glossodynia in institutionalized older adults at the Carlos Luis Plaza Dañín Home in Guayaquil. Materials and Methods: A quantitative, observational, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted in 37 older adults aged 73 to 89 years. Sociodemographic, systemic, pharmacological, salivary, prosthetic, lingual, and psychological variables were evaluated through clinical history, intraoral examination, sialometry, potassium hydroxide testing, Visual Analog Scale, and PHQ-4. Results: Glossodynia was identified in 11 participants (29.73%). Xerostomia showed a greater magnitude of association with glossodynia (OR=8.57; 95% CI: 0.95–77.01), although statistical significance was not reached (p=0.057). No statistically significant associations were found with hyposalivation, systemic diseases, polypharmacy, removable prostheses, tongue alterations, candidiasis, anxiety, or depression. Conclusions: Glossodynia was present in a relevant proportion of the older adults evaluated. Comprehensive dental assessment and studies with larger samples are recommended to determine its associated factors more precisely.