title: Maximal voluntary tongue pressure is decreased in Japanese frail elderly persons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantitatively estimate tongue function, we developed a handy device for intraoral pressure measurement. The objective of this study was to assess maximum voluntary tongue pressure (MVTP) in Japanese frail elderly persons receiving nursing care services.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 42 men and 87 women, aged 58-100 years. To record MVTP, the participants were asked to compress the balloon (diameter: 18 mm) of the disposable intraoral pressure probe onto their palates for 7 s using the maximum voluntary effort of the tongue. Pressures were recorded three times at 1 min intervals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maximum voluntary tongue pressure was successfully measured in 111 persons. Mean (standard deviation) MVTP was 18 (12) kPa, with a range of 0-63 kPa. The remaining 18 persons could not accurately follow our instructions and MVTP could not be measured.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In comparison with the reported standard value using the same device, the frail elderly persons included in our study were found to exert less MVTP than healthy dentate individuals. These results suggest the need for proper quantitative evaluation of oral function, including tongue capacity, at nursing care facilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Prosthodontics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan. tsuga@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuga
authors.forename: Mineka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oue
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuchioka
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Mitsuyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Yasumasa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akagawa
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D016352:Group Homes; D006801:Humans; D007576:Jaw, Edentulous, Partially / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000295:instrumentation; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care; D011312:Pressure; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014059:Tongue / Q000502:physiology*