Comorbidity Burden, Polypharmacy and Xerostomia Severity in Institutionalized Older Adults.

Cross-sectionalMedicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)· Jul 2026

Comorbidity Burden, Polypharmacy and Xerostomia Severity in Institutionalized Older Adults.

Mădălina Monica Bicheru, Andreea Zamfirescu, Elena Preoteasa … Cristina Teodora Preoteasa

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GeriatricsCross-sectionalQ4IF 0.1

Medication-class burden, not comorbidity, most strongly associated with xerostomia severity

Comorbidity Burden, Polypharmacy and Xerostomia Severity in Institutionalized Older Adults.

Mădălina Monica Bicheru … Cristina Teodora Preoteasa

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · Jul 2026 · Q4 in General Medicine

Background

Xerostomia is common among institutionalized older adults, but the relative contributions of comorbidity burden and medication-class burden remain incompletely clarified.

Purpose

This study evaluated their associations with Xerostomia Inventory (Xerostomia Inventory) severity and explored related salivary dysfunction and clinical oral health findings.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 90 institutionalized older adults in Bucharest, Romania.

n = 44

partial r = 0.445

Results

partial r = 0.445

more medication classes, more severe dry mouth, independent of comorbidity burden

n = 44

More results

Inclusion of medication-class count increased the explained variance in Xerostomia Inventory scores (ΔR 2 = 0.253, p < 0.001).

Bootstrap decomposition yielded similar findings, with a significant indirect estimate and a non-significant direct estimate.

More results

Among complete denture wearers, Xerostomia Inventory severity was associated with maxillary denture instability (ρ = -0.687, n = 44).

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

In this cohort, medication-class burden showed the strongest association with xerostomia severity, whereas comorbidity burden was not independently associated after adjustment.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Given the cross-sectional design, these findings should be interpreted as exploratory associations and support future prospective studies integrating medication review with geriatric-prosthodontic assessment.

Comorbidity Burden, Polypharmacy and Xerostomia Severity in Institutionalized Older Adults.

Comorbidity Burden, Polypharmacy and Xerostomia Severity in Institutionalized Older Adults.

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