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. 2021 Dec 16;18(24):13257.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182413257.

The Relationship between Sarcopenia and Respiratory Muscle Weakness in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Tomoyuki Morisawa  1 , Yota Kunieda  2 , Shingo Koyama  2 , Mizue Suzuki  2 , Yuma Takahashi  2 , Tomokazu Takakura  2 , Yuta Kikuchi  3 , Tadamitsu Matsuda  1 , Yuji Fujino  1 , Ryuichi Sawa  1 , Akihiro Sakuyama  1 , Masakazu Saitoh  1 , Tetsuya Takahashi  1 , Toshiyuki Fujiwara  1   3   4
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The Relationship between Sarcopenia and Respiratory Muscle Weakness in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Tomoyuki Morisawa et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

An association between respiratory muscle weakness and sarcopenia may provide a clue to the mechanism of sarcopenia development. We aimed to clarify this relationship among community-dwelling older adults. In total, 117 community-dwelling older adults were assessed and classified into 4 groups: robust, respiratory muscle weakness, sarcopenia, and respiratory sarcopenia. The respiratory sarcopenia group (12%) had a significantly higher percentage of males and had lower BMI, skeletal muscle index, skeletal muscle mass, phase angle, and oral function than the robust group (32.5%). All physical functions were significantly lower. The respiratory muscle weakness group (54.7%) had a significantly lower BMI and slower walking speed, compared with the robust group. The sarcopenia group (0.8%) was excluded from the analysis. The percent maximum inspiratory pressure was significantly lower in both the respiratory muscle weakness and respiratory sarcopenia groups, compared with the robust group. Almost all participants with sarcopenia showed respiratory muscle weakness. In addition, approximately 50% had respiratory muscle weakness, even in the absence of systemic sarcopenia, suggesting that respiratory muscle weakness may be the precursor of sarcopenia. The values indicating physical function and skeletal muscle mass in the respiratory muscle weakness group were between those in the robust and the respiratory sarcopenia groups.

Keywords: older adults; physical activity; physical performance; respiratory muscle weakness; sarcopenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Determination of Sarcopenia and respiratory muscle weakness and each group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean deference of respiratory muscle strength among the three groups. %MIP, % maximum inspiratory pressure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of the Kihon checklist among the three groups. * p < 0.05, vs. robust group, † p < 0.05, vs. respiratory muscle weakness group. IADL, instrumental activities of daily living.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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