# Oral frailty and its influencing factors among ICU patients with oral endotracheal intubation: a cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

This study examines oral frailty in ICU patients with oral endotracheal intubation and identifies factors that influence it.

## Contribution

The study identifies key factors influencing oral frailty in ICU patients with intubation, offering insights for targeted nursing interventions.

## Key findings

- 36.73% of ICU patients with oral endotracheal intubation were at high risk for oral frailty.
- Age, marital status, intubation duration, and oral health level significantly influence oral frailty.

## Abstract

To investigate the level and factors associated with oral frailty among ICU patients with oral endotracheal intubation, and to provide references for the construction of targeted nursing intervention programs in the future.

In this single-centre, cross-sectional study, a total of 226 patients with oral endotracheal intubation in ICU were selected by convenience sampling method. General data questionnaire, the Oral Frailty Index-8, the Oral Health Assessment Tool, the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 and the Frail Scale were used for the study.

The scores of oral frailty in ICU patients with oral endotracheal intubation were 3.00 (2.00, 4.00), of which 36.73% (83/226) were high risk. Age, marital status, duration of oral endotracheal intubation and oral health level were the influencing factors of oral frailty in ICU patients with oral endotracheal intubation (all p < 0.05).

The risk of oral frailty among ICU patients with oral endotracheal intubation is prevalent. In addition to airway management, medical staff should pay attention to the level of oral frailty according to the patient’s specific situation, and do a good job of prevention and control management to reduce the risk of oral frailty.