The Mass of Geniohyoid Muscle is Associated with Maximum Tongue Pressure and Tongue Area in Patients with Sarcopenic Dysphagia

Objectives We investigated the associations about the mass of geniohyoid and tongue muscle and the maximum tongue pressure in patients with sarcopenic dysphagia using ultrasonography. Design Cross sectional study. Setting 5 hospitals including 3 acute and 2 rehabilitation hospitals and 1 older facility. Participants 36 inpatients with sarcopenic dysphagia. Measurements Ultrasonography was performed for geniohyoid muscle and tongue. The area for geniohyoid and tongue muscles in sagittal plane and the mean brightness level (0-255) in the muscle area were calculated. Maximum tongue pressure as strength of swallowing muscle were investigated. Partial correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis adjusting for age and sex were performed. Results The mean age was 81.1 +/- 7.9. Men were 23. The mean BMI was 19.0 +/- 4.1. The mean maximum tongue pressure was 21.3 +/- 9.3 kPa. The mean cross sectional area for geniohyoid muscles was 140 +/- 47 mm(2). The mean brightness for geniohyoid muscle was 18.6 +/- 9.0. The mean cross sectional area for tongue muscles was 1664.1 +/- 386.0 mm(2). The mean brightness for tongue muscles was 34.1 +/- 10.6. There was a significant positive correlation between area of geniohyoid muscle and maximum tongue pressure (r = 0.38, p = 0.04). Geniohyoid muscle area was an explanatory factor for maximum tongue pressure (p = 0.012) and tongue muscle area (p = 0.031) in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Geniohyoid muscle mass was an independent explanatory factor for maximum tongue pressure and tongue muscle mass.