TY - JOUR
T1 - Tongue thickness relates to nutritional status in the elderly
AU - Tamura, Fumiyo
AU - Kikutani, Takeshi
AU - Tohara, Takashi
AU - Yoshida, Mitsuyoshi
AU - Yaegaki, Ken
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank Drs. Tetsuo Hanagata and Akira Ozawa at Yamanashi Dental Association, Drs. Yasumasa Akagawa and Kazuhiro Tsuga at Hiroshima University, and Dr. Misaka Kimura at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine for helpful discussions. This study was supported in part by a Research Grant for Longevity Science (H19-2) from of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan.
PY - 2012/12
Y1 - 2012/12
N2 - Many elderly people under long-term care suffer from malnutrition caused by dysphagia, frequently leading to sarcopenia. Our hypothesis is that sarcopenia may compromise oral function, resulting in dysphagia. The objectives of this study were to evaluate sarcopenia of the lingual muscles by measuring the tongue thickness, and elucidate its relationship with nutritional status. We examined 104 elderly subjects (mean age = 80.3 ± 7.9 years). Anthropometric data, such as triceps skinfold thickness and midarm muscle area (AMA), were obtained. The tongue thickness of the central part was determined using ultrasonography. Measurement was performed twice and the mean value was obtained. The relationship between tongue thickness and nutritional status was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. AMA and age were identified by multiple-regression analysis as factors influencing tongue thickness. The results of this study suggest that malnutrition may induce sarcopenia not only in the skeletal muscles but also in the tongue.
AB - Many elderly people under long-term care suffer from malnutrition caused by dysphagia, frequently leading to sarcopenia. Our hypothesis is that sarcopenia may compromise oral function, resulting in dysphagia. The objectives of this study were to evaluate sarcopenia of the lingual muscles by measuring the tongue thickness, and elucidate its relationship with nutritional status. We examined 104 elderly subjects (mean age = 80.3 ± 7.9 years). Anthropometric data, such as triceps skinfold thickness and midarm muscle area (AMA), were obtained. The tongue thickness of the central part was determined using ultrasonography. Measurement was performed twice and the mean value was obtained. The relationship between tongue thickness and nutritional status was analyzed by Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. AMA and age were identified by multiple-regression analysis as factors influencing tongue thickness. The results of this study suggest that malnutrition may induce sarcopenia not only in the skeletal muscles but also in the tongue.
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U2 - 10.1007/s00455-012-9407-z
DO - 10.1007/s00455-012-9407-z
M3 - Article
C2 - 22538556
AN - SCOPUS:84876289388
SN - 0179-051X
VL - 27
SP - 556
EP - 561
JO - Dysphagia
JF - Dysphagia
IS - 4
ER -