Rahman Nor Najwatul Akmal Ab, Singh Devinder Kaur Ajit, Lee Raymond
Physiotherapy Programme, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.
Clin Interv Aging. 2017 Mar 15;12:523-529. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S110329. eCollection 2017.
Aging is associated with alterations in thoracolumbar curvatures and respiratory function. Research information regarding the correlation between thoracolumbar curvatures and a comprehensive examination of respiratory function parameters in older adults is limited. The aim of the present study was to examine the correlation between thoracolumbar curvatures and respiratory function in community-dwelling older adults. Thoracolumbar curvatures (thoracic and lumbar) were measured using a motion tracker. Respiratory function parameters such as lung function, respiratory rate, respiratory muscle strength and respiratory muscle thickness (diaphragm and intercostal) were measured using a spirometer, triaxial accelerometer, respiratory pressure meter and ultrasound imaging, respectively. Sixty-eight community-dwelling older males and females from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with mean (standard deviation) age of 66.63 (5.16) years participated in this cross-sectional study. The results showed that mean (standard deviation) thoracic curvature angle and lumbar curvature angles were -46.30° (14.66°) and 14.10° (10.58°), respectively. There was a significant negative correlation between thoracic curvature angle and lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second: =-0.23, <0.05; forced vital capacity: =-0.32, <0.05), quiet expiration intercostal thickness (=-0.22, <0.05) and deep expiration diaphragm muscle thickness (=-0.21, <0.05). The lumbar curvature angle had a significant negative correlation with respiratory muscle strength (=-0.29, <0.05) and diaphragm muscle thickness at deep inspiration (=-0.22, <0.05). However, respiratory rate was correlated neither with thoracic nor with lumbar curvatures. The findings of this study suggest that increase in both thoracic and lumbar curvatures is correlated with decrease in respiratory muscle strength, respiratory muscle thickness and some parameters of lung function. Clinically, both thoracic and lumbar curvatures, respiratory muscles and lung function should be taken into consideration in the holistic management of respiratory function among older adults.
衰老与胸腰椎曲度及呼吸功能的改变有关。关于老年人胸腰椎曲度与呼吸功能参数综合检查之间相关性的研究信息有限。本研究的目的是探讨社区居住老年人胸腰椎曲度与呼吸功能之间的相关性。使用运动追踪器测量胸腰椎曲度（胸椎和腰椎）。分别使用肺活量计、三轴加速度计、呼吸压力计和超声成像测量呼吸功能参数，如肺功能、呼吸频率、呼吸肌力量和呼吸肌厚度（膈肌和肋间肌）。来自马来西亚吉隆坡的68名社区居住的老年男性和女性参与了这项横断面研究，其平均（标准差）年龄为66.63（5.16）岁。结果显示，平均（标准差）胸椎曲度角和腰椎曲度角分别为-46.30°（14.66°）和14.10°（10.58°）。胸椎曲度角与肺功能（1秒用力呼气量：=-0.23，<0.05；用力肺活量：=-0.32，<0.05）、平静呼气时肋间肌厚度（=-0.22，<0.05）和深呼气时膈肌厚度（=-0.21，<0.05）之间存在显著负相关。腰椎曲度角与呼吸肌力量（=-0.29，<0.05）和深吸气时膈肌厚度（=-0.22，<0.05）存在显著负相关。然而，呼吸频率与胸椎和腰椎曲度均无相关性。本研究结果表明，胸椎和腰椎曲度的增加与呼吸肌力量、呼吸肌厚度及一些肺功能参数的降低相关。临床上，在老年人呼吸功能的整体管理中，应同时考虑胸椎和腰椎曲度、呼吸肌及肺功能。
