This study aimed to investigate whether inflammation affects the outcome of swallowing ability to improve treatment for sarcopenic dysphagia.

A retrospective observational cohort study was performed using data from the Japanese sarcopenic dysphagia database.

The database was constructed using data from 19 hospitals and one home visiting rehabilitation team.

Patients with sarcopenic dysphagia with measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum albumin (Alb) were included.

Patients were assigned to two groups using CRP, Alb, and the Japanese modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS). The Food Intake LEVEL Scale (FILS) was measured at the times of admission and follow-up (FILS follow-up) to assess swallowing function.

A total of 197 patients were included. Mean or median values of each parameter were as follows: age: 83.8±8.7, Alb: 3.2 ± 0.6 g/dL, CRP: 8.0 [3.0, 29.0] mg/L, mGPS: 1 [1–2], FILS: 7 [6–8], FILS follow-up: 8 [7–8], and duration of follow-up: 57.0 [27.0, 85.0] days. The FILS score at follow-up was significantly lower in the high CRP group (≥ 5.0 mg/L) than in the low CRP group (< 5.0 mg/L) (p = 0.01). Further, the FILS score at follow-up was significantly lower in the high mGPS group (class; 2) than in the low mGPS group (class; 0 and 1) (p = 0.03). In the multiple linear regression analyses without FILS at baseline, CRP and mGPS were independent risk factors for FILS follow-up. When FILS at baseline was entered, CRP and mGPS were not an independent risk factors for FILS follow-up.

Inflammation could modify the outcome of the patients with sarcopenic dysphagia. Inflammation may be an important risk factor in evaluating patients with sarcopenic dysphagia.