Prevalence of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

TL;DR

This study found that nearly a quarter of adults with type 2 diabetes show signs of swallowing difficulties, highlighting the importance of screening with a simple questionnaire.

Contribution

The study demonstrates the prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia in T2DM patients using the EAT-10 questionnaire as a screening tool.

Findings

23.2% of T2DM patients showed signs of oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Swallowing effort and throat residue were the most commonly reported issues.

Dysphagia prevalence was not significantly linked to age, sex, or diabetes duration.

Abstract

Introduction

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disease with high prevalence and multiple complications, including diabetic neuropathy, which can interfere with the swallowing process, causing dysphagia and increased morbidity and mortality. The Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) questionnaire is a validated and sensitive tool for the clinical screening of dysphagia in asymptomatic population.

Materials and methods

This is a descriptive and prospective study that included 69 patients over the age of 18 diagnosed with T2DM, with no neurological or surgical history affecting swallowing. The validated Spanish version of the EAT-10 questionnaire was administered, considering dysphagia to be a score ≥3. Demographic variables, duration of diabetes, and treatment were recorded and analyzed using inferential and descriptive statistics with a significance level of p≤0.05.

Results

A total of 69 patients were involved in the study, 44 (63.8%) of whom were women. The mean age was 54.7 years and the average duration of T2DM was seven years. A prevalence of dysphagia was found in 16 patients (23.2%), with no significant difference between this diagnosis and the variables of age, sex, or duration of the disease (p≤0.05). The most frequently affected items on the EAT-10 were those related to effort when swallowing and a sensation of residue in the throat.

Conclusion

Nearly a quarter of the patients with T2DM evaluated showed signs consistent with oropharyngeal dysphagia. The results reinforce the value of the EAT-10 as a rapid, inexpensive, and noninvasive screening tool for detecting subclinical swallowing disorders in the diabetic population.

Figures