Functional characteristics and measurement significance of respiratory muscle strength in the elderly

抄録

 The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics of respiratory muscle strength motor functions, and to investigate whether the measurement of respiratory muscle strength is useful for evaluating motor functions during health checkups. Furthermore, regarding care prevention, a further purpose was to investigate whether respiratory muscle strength can be used as a risk factor to determine the conditions requiring long-term care.
 Methods The subjects were 206 females (range: 19-92 years) and 139 males (range: 19-89 years). Pulmonary function, respiratory muscle strength, body composition, and physical fitness were measured, and correlations were identified between respiratory muscle strength and various factors. To clarify the risk of falling, a questionnaire was distributed among the elderly subjects.
 Results A negative correlation was observed between maximum inspiratory and expiratory mouth pressures (PImax and PEmax) and age (p<0.001). PImax and PEmax were positively correlated with vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, and lean body mass (p<0.05-0.001). In addition, positive correlations were found between PImax and PEmax and grip strength, step test results, stepping, and time standing on one foot with eyes open (p<0.05-0.001). Elderly females with stumbling problems had significantly lower PImax and PEmax values than those without stumbling problems (p<0.01).
 Conclusions These results suggest a high correlation between respiratory muscle strength and physical fitness. Respiratory muscle strength is useful for evaluating various aspects of motor function. Thus, measurement of respiratory muscle strength during health checkups may be helpful for predicting the risk of deterioration, falling, and need for long-term nursing care.