scholarly journals Relationship between Oral Hypofunction and Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Otassha Study

Author(s):  
Yoshihiro Kugimiya ◽  
Masanori Iwasaki ◽  
Yuki Ohara ◽  
Keiko Motokawa ◽  
Ayako Edahiro ◽  
...  

Oral hypofunction, resulting from a combined decrease in multiple oral functions, may affect systemic-condition deterioration; however, few studies have examined the association between oral hypofunction and general health among older adults. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between oral hypofunction and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults. We included 878 adults (268 men and 610 women, mean age 76.5 ± 8.3 years). Tongue coating index, oral moisture, occlusal force, oral diadochokinesis (/pa/,/ta/,/ka/), tongue pressure, mas-ticatory function, and swallowing function were evaluated as indicators of oral hypofunction. Grip strength, gait speed, and skeletal muscle mass index were measured as diagnostic sarcopenia parameters. The association between oral hypofunction and sarcopenia was examined via logistic regression using sarcopenia as the dependent variable. Oral hypofunction prevalence was 50.5% overall, 40.3% in men, and 54.9% in women. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 18.6% overall, 9.7% in men, and 22.5% in women. A logistic regression showed oral hypofunction, age, body mass index, higher-level functional capacity, and serum albumin level were significantly associated with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia occurred at an increased frequency in patients diagnosed with oral hypofunction (odds ratio: 1.59, 95% confidence interval: 1.02–2.47); accordingly, oral hypofunction appears to be significantly associated with sarcopenia.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 653
Author(s):  
Hsiu-Yueh Liu ◽  
Jen-Hao Chen ◽  
Kun-Jung Hsu ◽  
Ching-Teng Yao ◽  
Ping-Ho Chen ◽  
...  

Personalized tongue pressure (TP) training focuses on improving swallowing. This study aims to establish the TP values of different age levels and compare changes between different swallowing status among community-dwelling elders. In this cross-sectional study, 1000 participants, aged 60 years old and above, were recruited from community care centers. All participants were classified into non chewing and/or swallowing difficulties (NCSD) and with chewing and/or swallowing difficulties (CSD) groups and their diseases and dieting status were recorded using a structured questionnaire. A disposable oral probe was used to measure TP by asking participants to compress it against the hard palate with maximum voluntary effort. Among 1000 elders, 63.10% had CSD and their TP (from 31.76 to 18.20 kPa) was lower than the NCSD group (from 33.56 to 24.51 kPa). Both groups showed the same tendency for TP decline with increasing age. Decline of TP makes CSD elderly have a poor appetite, eat a soft or liquid diet, and take longer to eat a meal (all p < 0.050). The secondary risk factor dominating TP decline for NCSD and CSD elders is having an education level less than primary school and an abnormal eating assessment, respectively. Our results demonstrated that TP decline has a significant relationship with age changes. Education level and an abnormal eating assessment score are closely associated with TP decline. A series of TP values can be used as a reference indicator of personalized medicine during the aging process among community-dwelling older adults.


Author(s):  
Giulia Mercuri ◽  
Roee Holtzer

Abstract Objective Openness has a positive association with cognitive functioning and engagement in cognitively stimulating activities (CSA). Older adults who engage in more CSA tend to show greater preservation of their cognitive skills; thus, we examined whether: higher Openness would be associated with higher attention/executive functions (AEF) and verbal memory; and CSA would mediate the relationship between Openness and AEF, as well as verbal memory. Method 477 community-dwelling older adults (65+ years) were included in the current cross-sectional study. Composite variables of AEF (TMT-A&B, COWAT, and DSST) and verbal memory (RBANS immediate and delayed verbal memory subtasks) were included. Openness was assessed via the Big-5 Inventory and CSA with the Leisure Activity Questionnaire. Method 477 community-dwelling older adults (65+ years) were included in the current cross-sectional study. Composite variables of AEF (TMT-A&B, COWAT, and DSST) and verbal memory (RBANS verbal memory subtasks) were included. Openness was assessed via the Big-5 Inventory and CSA with the Leisure Activity Questionnaire. Results Linear regressions indicated a significant positive association between Openness and AEF (β = .09, p &lt; .01), but not verbal memory (β = .06, p = .06). A significant partial mediation was demonstrated between Openness, CSA, and AEF (c: β = .08, p &lt; .05, 95%CI = .02−.14; c′: β = .02, 95%CI = .01−.03). The mediation of Openness, CSA, and verbal memory was not significant (c: β = .06, p &gt; .05, 95%CI = .01−.11; c′: β = .00, 95%CI = −.01−.01). Conclusions The association between Openness and AEF, but not verbal memory, was partially mediated by CSA in healthy older adults. The findings suggest that those who are more open to and highly engaged in CSA may have a later in life advantage in preserving their AEF abilities.


2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
U. Suthutvoravut ◽  
T. Tanaka ◽  
K. Takahashi ◽  
M. Akishita ◽  
K. Iijima

Objectives: Eating alone is related to depression, nutritional risk, and mortality. These effects are also influenced by living status. However, little is known about the relationship between eating alone despite living with family and frailty. This study explores the relationship of eating alone and living status with frailty in community-dwelling older adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting and Participants: Kashiwa city, Chiba prefecture, Japan; randomly selected community-dwelling older adults (aged 65 years and over). Measurements: Eating status was assessed by the question, “Do you eat meals with anyone, at least once a day: yes or no?” Frailty was defined by Kihon Checklist (KCL) score 8 or over. Domains of frailty were divided into instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), physical strength, nutrition, eating, socialization, memory, and mood, based on KCL categories. Binary logistic regression analysis was used, adjusting for age, years of education, chronic diseases, number of teeth and cognitive function. Results: Among the total of 1,914 participants, 49.8% were male, and the overall mean age was 72.9 ± 5.5 years. Of all participants, 56 (5.9%) of men and 112 (11.7%) of women were frail. Older adults who ate alone despite living with others were more likely to be frail (OR 2.49, 95%CI 1.1–5.5 for men and OR 2.16, 95%CI 1.0–4.5 for women). Of particular note, eating and living status were associated with lower physical strength and mood in men, whereas in women these statuses were associated with lower scores for IADL, socialization, memory, and mood. Conclusions: Eating alone despite living with others was associated with high frailty in both genders; however, the pathways were different between genders. These results might help yield a simple, fundamental intervention approach to multifaceted frailty, reflecting gender and associated high-risk domains.


Gerontology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Kensuke Tashiro ◽  
Sakiko Soutome ◽  
Madoka Funahara ◽  
Yumiko Kawashita ◽  
Masayasu Kitamura ◽  
...  

Introduction: Reduced tongue pressure is one of the causes of dysphagia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between dental findings and tongue pressure, and whether prosthetic treatment prevents reduced tongue pressure. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Participants were 745 community-dwelling adults and elderly persons in the Goto Islands in Nagasaki, who underwent a health checkup for residents in 2015 and 2016. Data were collected on gender; age; grip strength; hemoglobin; Creatinine (Cr); glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c); history of stroke; smoking, drinking, exercise, and walking habits; number of teeth; wearing of removable dentures; functional units of natural teeth (n-FTUs), fixed prostheses (nif-FTUs), and removable dentures (t-FTUs); and tongue pressure. The associations between each variable and tongue pressure were examined using multiple regression analysis. Next, those with 3 or fewer n-FTUs were selected, and differences in tongue pressure were compared between those with 3 or fewer nif-FTUs and those with 4 or more nif-FTUs, using a propensity score matching method. Results: Male gender, weak grip strength, low HbA1c, no drinking, and a low number of teeth were independent factors significantly associated with lower tongue pressure. Among participants with 3 or fewer n-FTUs, the 43 with 4 or more nif-FTUs showed significantly higher tongue pressure than the 43 with 3 or fewer nif-FTUs after propensity score matching, although the number of t-FTUs was not associated with tongue pressure. Discussion/Conclusion: Tooth loss was significantly associated with lower tongue pressure. It was suggested that fixed prosthesis treatment might prevent the reduction of tongue pressure, but removable dentures did not have such an effect.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kousuke Iwai-Saito ◽  
Yugo Shobugawa ◽  
Jun Aida ◽  
Katsunori Kondo

AbstractPneumonia is a leading cause of mortality among older adults worldwide. Recently, several studies reported that frailty was associated with mortality among older adults hospitalized due to respiratory infectious diseases, including pneumonia. However, it is unknown whether frailty is associated with susceptibility to and severity of pneumonia in functionally-independent community-dwelling older adults. In this study, we examined whether frailty increased the susceptibility to pneumonia and hospitalization in older adults. We used cross-sectional data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study; the data was collected by using mail-based, self-reported questionnaires from 177,991 functionally-independent community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 65 years. Our results showed that frailty was significantly associated with both occurrence of and hospitalization due to pneumonia after adjustments with covariates; (Preference ratio {PR} 1.92, 95% confidence interval {95% CI} [1.66–2.22] and PR 1.80, 95% CI [1.42–2.28], respectively, p < 0.001 for the both). Pre-frailty was associated only with the occurrence of pneumonia. Besides, the instrumental activity of daily living, physical strength, nutrition status, oral function, homeboundness, and depression status in frail older adults were associated with either or both occurrence of and hospitalization due to pneumonia. Our results suggest that frailty influenced the susceptibility to and severity of pneumonia in older adults.


Author(s):  
Takafumi Abe ◽  
Kenta Okuyama ◽  
Tsuyoshi Hamano ◽  
Miwako Takeda ◽  
Masayuki Yamasaki ◽  
...  

Although some neighborhood environmental factors have been found to affect depressive symptoms, few studies have focused on the impact of living in a hilly environment, i.e., land slope, on depressive symptoms among rural older adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether a land slope is associated with depressive symptoms among older adults living in rural areas. Data were collected from 935 participants, aged 65 years and older, who lived in Shimane prefecture, Japan. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and defined on the basis of an SDS score ≥ 40. Land slopes within a 400 m network buffer were assessed using geographic information systems. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of depressive symptoms were estimated using logistic regression. A total of 215 (23.0%) participants reported depressive symptoms. The land slope was positively associated with depressive symptoms (OR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.01–1.08) after adjusting for all confounders. In a rural setting, living in a hillier environment was associated with depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults in Japan.


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