title: Salivary flow rate and risk of malnutrition - a study among dentate, community-dwelling older people.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the relation between unstimulated and stimulated salivary secretion and the risk of malnutrition among home-dwelling elderly people.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Saliva has an important role in eating. Despite this, there are only a few studies on the role of salivary secretion in the development of malnutrition among elderly people.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 157 subjects aged 75 or older. This was a part of GeMS study carried out in Kuopio, in eastern Finland. The data used in this study were collected by means of interviews and geriatric and oral clinical examinations. The risk of malnutrition was measured using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and their 95% Confidence Intervals (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects with a low unstimulated salivary flow rate (<0.1 ml/min) or stimulated salivary flow rate (<1.0 ml/min) had no statistically significant increase in risk of malnutrition, OR: 1.3, CI: 0.5-3.9, OR: 1.5, CI: 0.5-4.2, respectively, when compared with those with a normal unstimulated and stimulated salivary flow rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results do not support the concept that low salivary secretion is an important risk factor for malnutrition among community-dwelling elders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, FinlandFinnish Student Health Service, Jyväskylä, FinlandKuopio Research Centre of Geriatric Care, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, FinlandSocial and Health Centre of Kuopio, Kuopio, FinlandUnit of Clinical Pharmacology and Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, Kuopio Research Centre for Geriatric Care, School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, FinlandInstitute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, FinlandLeppävirta Health Centre, Leppävirta, FinlandDepartment of Geriatrics, Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, FinlandDepartment of Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, FinlandInstitute of Dentistry, University of Eastern finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Anna-Maija H
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Syrjälä
authors.forename: Päivi I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Pussinen
authors.forename: Kaija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komulainen
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nykänen
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knuuttila
authors.forename: Piia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruoppi
authors.forename: Sirpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hartikainen
authors.forename: Raimo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sulkava
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ylöstalo
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis; D003778:Dentures; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology*; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000175:diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D012907:Smoking; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis; D014099:Toothbrushing; D015431:Weight Loss