ORAL HEALTH STATUS OF PATIENTS IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Authors

  • Renata de Moura Cruz Quintanilha Oral Health Program, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
  • Mara Regina Rocha Pereira Oral Health Program, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
  • Silvia Paula de Oliveira Oral Health Program, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
  • Cláudia de S. Thiago Ragon Oral Health Program, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
  • Michelle Agostini Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology; Head of Oral Health Program, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
  • Arley Silva Júnior Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology; Head of Oral Health Program, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
  • Diamantino Ribeiro Salgado Department of Internal Medicine do Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil
  • Sandra R. Torres Department of Oral Diagnosis and Pathology; Head of Oral Health Program, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho; Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ, RJ, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29327/24816.4.3-5

Keywords:

Intensive care unit, oral manifestations, oral mucosa, oral hygiene, oral ulcers and saliva

Abstract

Introduction: Patients in intensive care unit (ICU) may present oral alterations as a result of patients’ systemic conditions, the use of medications, intubation or poor oral hygiene. Oral alterations should be detected and treated because they may aggravate patients’ condition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the types and frequencies of clinically detected oral alterations in inpatients of an ICU. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study in which an oral evaluation of patients hospitalized in an ICU of a public hospital was performed. Demographic, social and clinical characteristics were collected from medical records. Oral exams were performed by two trained dentists, with reliability checked by intra-class correlation coefficient, while patients were lying in the hospital bed, using a frontal headlamp, tongue depressor and sterile gauze. All data were recorded in study protocol forms and transferred to a data base for analysis. Results: Thirty-seven patients, with similar distribution between genders, with median age of 62 years
were evaluated. The most frequent causes for hospitalization were postoperative care (51.35%) and respiratory problems (29.72%). About 90% of the inpatients presented some type of oral alterations during the hospitalization period. The most common clinical alterations were dry lips (86.5%); coated tongue (61.1%); paleness of the oral mucosa (54.1%); oral foci of infection (37.8%) and candidiasis (13.5%). Conclusion: The majority of inpatients of the ICU presented some type of oral alteration, and the most frequent were dry lips and coated tongue. Data observed in this study reinforce the need of the dental team support during the period of hospitalization.

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Published

2020-03-05

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 3: September-December 2019

Section

Articles