title: Evaluation of dysphagia risk, nutritional status and caloric intake in elderly patients with Alzheimer's.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate the risk of dysphagia and its relationship with the stage of Alzheimer's Disease, as well as the relationship between the risk of dysphagia and nutritional status and caloric intake in elderly people with Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  the sample consisted of 30 subjects of both genders with probable Alzheimer's disease. The stage of the disease, nutritional status, energy intake, and risk of dysphagia were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  it was found that increased risk of dysphagia is associated with the advance in the stages of Alzheimer's disease and that even patients in the early stages of disease have a slight risk of developing dysphagia. No association was found between nutritional status and the risk of dysphagia. High levels of inadequate intake of micronutrients were also verified in the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  an association between dysphagia and the development of Alzheimer's disease was found. The results indicate the need to monitor the presence of dysphagia and the micronutrient intake in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Fernanda
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Goes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pâmela Billig
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Mello-Carpes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lilian Oliveira
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Guarapuava, PR, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hack
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Nutrição, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Guarapuava, PR, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magro
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste, Guarapuava, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana Sartori
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bonini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018570:Risk Assessment