Association between sarcopenia and urinary dysfunction in patients with dysphagia.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Urology
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Sarcopenia, a common condition in older adults, is characterized by loss of muscle mass and strength.
• Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is often associated with sarcopenia and can impact overall health.
• Urinary dysfunction is a prevalent issue in elderly populations, affecting quality of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and urinary dysfunction in patients experiencing dysphagia.
• To identify potential contributing factors to urinary dysfunction in this specific patient group.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 460 participants from the Japanese Sarcopenic Dysphagia Database.
• Urinary dysfunction was defined by incontinence or catheter use; sarcopenia was diagnosed using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria.
• Statistical analyses included univariate and multivariate logistic regression, assessing associations with sarcopenia, calf circumference (CC), handgrip strength (HGS), and Barthel Index (BI).

Main Results:

• Urinary dysfunction was not significantly associated with sarcopenia (p = 0.440).
• Associations were found between urinary dysfunction and calf circumference (p = 0.009), handgrip strength (p < 0.001), and Barthel Index (p < 0.001).
• Logistic regression confirmed that urinary dysfunction was associated with lower HGS (OR: 0.968) and BI (OR: 0.955).

Conclusions:

• Sarcopenia is not directly associated with urinary dysfunction in patients with dysphagia.
• Handgrip strength and Barthel Index are significant indicators related to urinary dysfunction in this population.
• These findings highlight the importance of assessing muscle strength and functional status in managing urinary issues in dysphagic patients.