A preliminary analysis of prevalence and associated factors of dysphagia in hospitalized elderly patients with fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of dysphagia in elderly inpatients with fractures and to examine factors associated with swallowing dysfunction, with particular attention to surface electromyographic (sEMG) characteristics of the infrahyoid muscle. METHODS: A total of 78 elderly hospitalized patients with fractures admitted to the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2025 to December 2025 were included. Swallowing function and feeding status were assessed using the water swallow test and the volume viscosity swallow test. Surface electromyographic signals of the infrahyoid muscle group were collected using biofeedback rehabilitation equipment during both relaxed and dry swallowing states. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and univariate analysis along with binary logistic regression were performed to identify factors influencing dysphagia. RESULTS: Among the 78 patients, 54 were assigned to the dysphagia group and 24 to the control group. The prevalence of dysphagia in elderly fracture rehabilitation patients was 69.2%. The majority were aged 70-79 years (50.0%), and females predominated (75.9%). During dry swallowing, the average signal of the right dry swallowing in the dysphagia group was higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (Z = -2.515, p = 0.016). The intra group comparison results of the control group showed that the activity on the right side was significantly lower than that on the left side (Z = 2.571, p = 0.017). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the average surface electromyographic signal during right-side dry swallowing was an influencing factor for swallowing function in elderly hospitalized fracture patients (OR = 1.003, 95% CI: 1.001-1.006). CONCLUSION: Enhanced surface electromyographic signals during right-side dry swallowing may serve as an objective electrophysiological indicator for early identification of dysphagia. In clinical practice, emphasis should be placed on controlling single-bite food volume and implementing targeted screening and intervention.