Thickened liquids are the most frequent intervention in the hospital to prevent aspiration in patients with dysphagia, however, they are the least recommendation to be adhered to, with a 36% of adherence. Poor compliance with the use of thickeners can result in malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, decreased quality of life (QOL), and even death. Due to the absence of convincing scientific evidence on how to manage these issues and the need of healthcare professionals to emphasize not only longevity of life but also QOL, this investigation was designed. This study examined the effect of two types of thickeners on the fluid intake and QOL of patients with dysphagia in the acute care setting.
