Decreased swallowing function in the sarcopenic elderly without clinical dysphagia: a cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Sarcopenia and dysphagia are increasing concerns in the aging global population.
• The link between sarcopenia (reduced muscle mass/strength) and swallowing dysfunction remains debated.
• Subclinical swallowing changes in sarcopenic elderly individuals lack extensive study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the swallowing function in elderly individuals with sarcopenia but without diagnosed dysphagia.
• To investigate subclinical alterations in swallowing mechanics associated with sarcopenia.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 94 community-dwelling individuals aged 65+ without dysphagia.
• Participants categorized into sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups.
• Swallowing assessed via tongue pressure, submental ultrasonography (hyoid displacement/velocity), 100-ml water-swallowing test, and EAT-10 questionnaire.

Main Results:

• Sarcopenic group showed significantly increased hyoid displacement (p<0.05) and hyoid velocity (p<0.05) during swallowing.
• Water-swallowing time was significantly longer in the sarcopenia group (p<0.05).
• No significant difference in tongue pressure (p=0.55), but EAT-10 scores were slightly higher in the sarcopenia group (p<0.05).

Conclusions:

• Sarcopenia is associated with significant, subclinical impairments in swallowing function in the elderly.
• Compensatory mechanisms, including altered hyoid movement and reduced swallowing speed, are employed by sarcopenic individuals.
• Tongue muscle strength appears resilient to sarcopenia's early effects on swallowing.