The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and physical and cognitive characteristics of older adults with sarcopenia, respiratory sarcopenia, and both in Okawa, Japan.
A total of 201 community-dwelling, ambulatory, older adults aged 65 years or older who participated in senior clubs in Okawa, Japan were included in this study. Participants with pulmonary diseases, neurological diseases, rheumatic diseases, or measurement difficulties were excluded. Diagnoses of sarcopenia and respiratory sarcopenia were made according to the criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and the position paper by four professional organizations, respectively. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the skeletal muscle index, grip strength, and the five-time chair stand test. For respiratory sarcopenia, the skeletal muscle mass index, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) were used for diagnosis. The Timed Up and Go test (TUG, maximal speed), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Repetition Saliva Swallowing Test (RSST) were also measured. Reduced MIP and MEP were defined as 80% of predicted. The number of participants with reduced MMSE (24) or RSST (>30 s/3 times) was counted. Participants were divided into three groups: sarcopenia, respiratory sarcopenia, or both. The results of the measurements were compared between the three groups using the Kruskal-Wallis test, the Bonferroni test, and the chi-square test.
Fifteen participants were excluded. Of the remaining 186 participants (median age 79 years, 65 males), 24 (13%) participants with sarcopenia (S group: 82 years, 7 males), 12 (6%) participants with respiratory sarcopenia (RS group: 82 years, 7 males), 14 (8%) participants with sarcopenia and respiratory sarcopenia (SRS group: 87 years, 5 males) were identified. Baseline characteristics, except height, were not significantly different between the three groups. The number of participants on the reduced MMSE was higher in the SRS group than in the S group and RS groups (4, 1, and 1, respectively), with a near significant level. The TUG time was significantly lower in the SRS group (9.2 s) than in the S group (7.2 s) and the RS group (7.3 s). There was no significant difference in the number of participants with the reduced RSST.
In community-dwelling ambulatory older adults, the prevalence of respiratory sarcopenia was less than that of sarcopenia, and older adults with sarcopenia and respiratory sarcopenia tended to have lower physical performance and cognitive function. These results suggest that reduced maximal respiratory muscle strength in older adults with sarcopenia may be associated with lower physical and cognitive function.
The addition of respiratory muscle strength assessment to the diagnosis of sarcopenia may be useful for screening older people who have, or are at risk of, reduced physical or cognitive function.
Maximal respiratory pressure
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