The impact of oral frailty and quality of life on gastrointestinal function in middle-aged and elderly patients: a cross-sectional study

In the context of global aging, oral frailty and gastrointestinal dysfunction are common and often interacting conditions in the middle-aged and elderly, yet their relationship warrants further investigation. This study investigates the impact of oral frailty and quality of life on gastrointestinal function in middle-aged and elderly hospitalized patients, aiming to provide new insights into the prevention and management of gastrointestinal disorders. We analyzed 400 valid questionnaires collected from inpatients between June and December 2024. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that both oral frailty (r = 0.456, p < 0.01) and quality of life (r = -0.416, p < 0.01) were significantly correlated with gastrointestinal function. Specifically, more severe oral frailty was associated with worse gastrointestinal function (higher GSRS scores), and a lower quality of life was also linked to poorer gastrointestinal health. Multiple regression analysis further confirmed that both oral frailty (B = 3.110, p < 0.001) and quality of life (B = -0.340, p < 0.001) were independent predictors of gastrointestinal function. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the removal of either oral frailty or quality of life significantly reduced the model's explanatory power (R² = 0.322), underscoring their central roles in gastrointestinal health. Although factors such as age, BMI, number of long-term medications, and disease types were correlated with gastrointestinal function, they did not show independent significance in the regression analysis. These findings suggest that improving oral frailty and quality of life may be effective strategies for enhancing gastrointestinal health. Future research should explore additional potential influencing factors, such as gut microbiota and dietary habits, to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying gastrointestinal function.