Patterns of Changes in Respiratory Muscle Strength over 1 Year in Non-Sarcopenia, Sarcopenia, and Severe Sarcopenia

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 19; no. 24; p. 16571
• Main Authors: Sawaya, Yohei, Hirose, Tamaki, Ishizaka, Masahiro, Shiba, Takahiro, Sato, Ryo, Kubo, Akira, Urano, Tomohiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 09.12.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Cross-sectional studies; Female; Grip strength; Hand Strength - physiology; Humans; Long term health care; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Muscle strength; Muscle Strength - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal; Musculoskeletal system; Normal distribution; Older people; Prospective Studies; Regression analysis; Respiration; Respiratory Muscles - physiology; Sarcopenia; Sarcopenia - diagnosis; Sarcopenia - epidemiology; Skeletal muscle; Statistical analysis; Transportation services; Values; Variables; Variance analysis; Japan; respiratory sarcopenia; maximum expiratory pressure; Japan; elderly; sarcopenia
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192416571

In this prospective longitudinal cohort study, we explored the characteristics of older people with lower respiratory muscle strength, according to sarcopenia severity, over the course of 1 year. The maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), grip strength, walking speed, and skeletal muscle mass index of 58 participants (28 men, 30 women; mean age, 76.9 ± 7.7 years) were measured at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up. Participants were classified into a decreased MEP group ( = 29; MEP decreased by ≥10% after 1 year) and a non-decreased MEP group ( = 29; MEP decreased by <10%). Sarcopenia status in the mild direction at baseline was significantly associated with MEP decline after one year. Repeated two-way analysis of variance showed significant main effects of measurement time ( < 0.001) and severity of sarcopenia ( = 0.026), as well as a significant interaction effect ( = 0.006). Surprisingly, MEP decreased significantly in the non-sarcopenia and sarcopenia groups, but not in the severe sarcopenia group. Thus, individuals without sarcopenia and those with moderate sarcopenia at baseline are predisposed to MEP decline and should be closely monitored for signs of such decline and associated adverse events.