Observational studyEuropean geriatric medicine2026
Feeding-related hospitalizations and outcomes in advanced dementia.
Observational study in European geriatric medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Parenteral hydration and the cognitively impaired: the important role of subcutaneous hydration.European geriatric medicine · 2026Review
- Potentially Low-Value Medical Interventions in Frail Older Adults Near the End of Life: A Narrative Review.Cureus · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionDementia is a chronic disease characterized by progressive and mostly irreversible cognitive and functional decline. Advanced dementia is linked to high mortality and morbidity, with over 85% of patients experiencing feeding-related problems. Care should focus on comfort and quality of life, with medical societies recommending against tube feeding, supporting instead careful hand feeding. However, awareness among healthcare professionals regarding tube indications and complications remains limited. PURPOSE: To identify the frequency of hospitalizations related to feeding problems, analyze healthcare professionals' attitudes, and compare the outcomes of patients with and without tube feeding.
methodsThis retrospective, observational cohort study analyzed patients aged ≥ 65 years with advanced dementia admitted to Internal Medicine Department of Coimbra's Healthcare Integrated Delivery System between January 1 and March 31, 2023. Sociodemographic, clinical, feeding-related data, along with complications, mortality, and readmissions, were collected and analyzed via STATA.
resultsOf the 1,735 admissions, 178 patients met the inclusion criteria (mean age 86; 64.5% female). Respiratory illnesses were the primary diagnosis (56.7%), and in-hospital mortality rate was 23%. Feeding-related hospitalizations occurred in 17.4% of the patients, mainly due to aspiration. At discharge, 102 patients had no feeding tube (Group A), and 76 did (Group B). Group B had significantly higher complication rates at one year than did Group A, without a survival benefit.
conclusionOur findings demonstrate that feeding-related complications also occur in patients receiving enteral tube feeding, without increasing survival or reducing complications and underscore the need for professional training and individualized evidence-based care in advanced dementia.
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