Wakasugi Yoko, Tohara Haruka, Machida Nami, Nakane Ayako, Minakuchi Shunsuke
Gerodontology and Oral Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
Gerodontology. 2017 Dec;34(4):455-459. doi: 10.1111/ger.12292. Epub 2017 Aug 23.
Swallowing-related muscle strength decreases due to sarcopenia, and older people are at risk for sarcopenia and the resultant dysphagia. However, no studies have assessed the direct relationships between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscles. Therefore, this study investigates the relationships between decreased whole-body strength, which is easily evaluated, and swallowing-related muscle strength.
A total of 197 elderly individuals (97 men aged 78.5 ± 6.6 years and 100 women aged 77.8 ± 6.2 years) were enrolled. Grip strength, walking speed, tongue pressure and jaw opening force were measured, and the effects of age and the relationships between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscle strength were investigated.
With respect to age-related changes, tongue pressure, jaw opening force, grip strength and walking speed decreased with age in men and women. The relationships between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscle strength were analysed, with age used as the control variable. Among men, tongue pressure was correlated with grip strength and walking speed, whereas jaw opening force was correlated with grip strength. Among women, neither tongue pressure nor jaw opening force was correlated with grip strength or walking speed.
There was a sex-based difference in the correlations between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscle strength. Among men, swallowing-related muscle strength was correlated with whole-body strength, and grip strength could thus serve as a simple indicator for swallowing-related muscle strength.
Decreased swallowing-related muscle strength can be inferred in cases involving male patients for whom decreased grip strength is measured during physical examination or is otherwise suggested (eg, by an inability to open plastic bottles).
吞咽相关肌肉力量会因肌肉减少症而下降，老年人存在肌肉减少症及由此导致吞咽困难的风险。然而，尚无研究评估全身力量与吞咽相关肌肉之间的直接关系。因此，本研究调查易于评估的全身力量下降与吞咽相关肌肉力量之间的关系。
共纳入197名老年人（97名男性，年龄78.5±6.6岁；100名女性，年龄77.8±6.2岁）。测量握力、步行速度、舌压和张口力，并研究年龄的影响以及全身力量与吞咽相关肌肉力量之间的关系。
关于年龄相关变化，男性和女性的舌压、张口力、握力和步行速度均随年龄下降。以年龄作为控制变量，分析全身力量与吞咽相关肌肉力量之间的关系。在男性中，舌压与握力和步行速度相关，而张口力与握力相关。在女性中，舌压和张口力均与握力或步行速度无关。
全身力量与吞咽相关肌肉力量之间的相关性存在性别差异。在男性中，吞咽相关肌肉力量与全身力量相关，因此握力可作为吞咽相关肌肉力量的一个简单指标。
在体格检查中测量到握力下降或有其他提示（如无法打开塑料瓶）的男性患者中，可推断吞咽相关肌肉力量下降。
