Survey of feeding and swallowing functions in patients recruited by the nutrition support team

In order to evaluate feeding and swallowing functions in patients recruited by the Nutrition Support Team (NST), we investigated their underlying diseases, primary departments, age distribution, nutrition administration routes, and feeding and swallowing, The survey was conducted on 66 cases determined to be suffering from malnutrition based on screening of all hospitalized patients. The elderly aged 65 or over accounted for 86 percent of all cases. Neurological disorders were the most prevalent type of disease, affecting 29 percent of all cases. Oral feeding accounted for 40 percent, and supplemental nutrition for 60 percent of all cases. The incidence of aspiration was 66 percent. Forty-two percent of all cases did not involve oral administration. Feeding and swallowing functions were more seriously affected in cases of respiratory and neuromuscular diseases as compared with other diseases. Our findings suggest that in order to carry out safe oral nutrition, medical staff must evaluate the individual patient's feeding and swallowing functions.