Hand Grip Strength Assessment Based on Sarcopenia Diagnostic Criteria Predicts Swallowing Function.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Sarcopenia, an age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, is associated with various functional impairments.
• Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) are common in older adults and can lead to malnutrition and aspiration pneumonia.
• Grip strength is a widely accepted measure for assessing sarcopenia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between grip strength and swallowing function in elderly patients.
• To determine if grip strength, assessed using sarcopenia criteria, can serve as a predictor for swallowing impairment.

Main Methods:

• 83 patients underwent swallowing function tests and endoscopy.
• Patients were categorized into 'normal' and 'weak' grip strength groups based on Asian sarcopenia criteria.
• Evaluated parameters included Hyodo score, repeated salivary swallowing test (RSST), maximum phonation time (MPT), and dysphagia severity classification (DSS).

Main Results:

• The 'normal' grip strength group demonstrated significantly better performance across all swallowing indicators compared to the 'weak' group (p < 0.01 for Hyodo score and RSST, p < 0.001 for MPT and DSS).
• Multiple regression analysis confirmed grip strength as a significant independent predictor of dysphagia severity (DSS), even after adjusting for age, gender, and BMI.
• Grip strength was significantly correlated with Hyodo score, RSST, MPT, and DSS.

Conclusions:

• Grip strength assessment, utilizing sarcopenia diagnostic criteria, is a valuable and accessible tool for estimating swallowing function in older adults.
• This non-invasive method can aid in early identification of individuals at risk for dysphagia, facilitating timely intervention.