What We Know: Assessment Tools and Intervention Strategies for Sarcopenic Dysphagia in Older Adults – A Scoping Review

This study aims to conduct a scoping review to map the current evidence on the assessment and management of sarcopenic dysphagia (SD) in older adults. As a critical geriatric syndrome, SD arises from the interplay between sarcopenia and dysphagia, leading to severe complications such as malnutrition, aspiration pneumonia, and increased mortality. However, clinical practice lacks standardized, evidence-based pathways for its management. While narrative reviews have summarized available assessment tools and interventions, the evidence remains fragmented regarding key clinical decision points. Specifically, it is unclear how assessment tools are combined in real-world practice, how intervention choices are linked to specific assessment findings, and how multi-component management strategies are integrated and delivered. This review will systematically search Chinese and English databases to address the following questions: (1) What are the common combinations of assessment tools used for SD, and in what settings are they applied? (2) What is the reported clinical rationale for selecting specific interventions based on assessment results? (3) What are the core components of integrated management programs, and how are they coordinated? (4) Where are the major gaps in the current evidence base, and what should future research prioritize? The findings will provide a foundational evidence map to support the development of structured, nurse-coordinated care pathways for SD and will highlight key areas for future investigative efforts.