Background Sarcopenia and dysphagia have both become pivotal issues due to the increased number of elderly people. However, it’s still in question that whether sarcopenia, defined by the reduced handgrip strength and/or reduced gait speed, would necessarily results in pathological effects on swallowing function. Studies that focus on the subclinical changes of swallowing function of the sarcopenic elderly are lacking. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the swallowing function of the sarcopenic elderly without dysphagia. Methods This was a case-control study and subjects were recruited from the community. 94 individuals aged 65 and older without dysphagia were divided into sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia group. Assessment of swallowing consisted of tongue pressure measurement, hyoid displacement and movement velocity measurement with submental ultrasonography, 100 ml water swallow test, and the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10). Results The average tongue pressure was 47.0 ± 13.7 kPa in sarcopenia group and 48.6 ± 11.5 kPa in non-sarcopenia group (p = 0.55). The average hyoid displacement during swallowing was 15.3 ± 4.4 mm in sarcopenia group and 13.0 ± 4.2 mm in non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.05). The average hyoid movement velocity during swallowing was 22.0 ± 9.1 mm/s in sarcopenia group and 17.4 ± 7.4 mm/s in non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.05). The time needed to consume 100 ml of water was 14.7 ± 10.5 seconds in sarcopenia group and 7.0 ± 3.9 seconds in non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.05). The average score of EAT-10 was 0.5 ± 0.6 in sarcopenia group and 0.1 ± 0.3 in non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.05). Conclusions Swallowing function was significantly diminished in elderly individuals with sarcopenia, before clinical symptoms became evident. However, tongue muscles seemed resistant to sarcopenia at an early stage. Compensative strategies, such as reduced swallowing speed and increased hyoid bone movement, were observed in the sarcopenic subjects.

Background: Sarcopenia and dysphagia are prevalent health issues as the elderly population continues to grow. However, whether sarcopenia, defined by either reduced handgrip strength or gait speed, would lead to pathological effects on swallowing function is still a matter of debate. Studies focusing on subclinical changes in the swallowing function in the sarcopenic elderly are lacking. This study evaluates the swallowing function in the sarcopenic elderly without dysphagia.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted including subjects recruited from the community. Ninety-four individuals aged 65 and older without dysphagia were divided into two groups: sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia. The swallowing assessment included tongue pressure measurement, hyoid displacement (HD), hyoid velocity (HV) measurement with submental ultrasonography, 100-ml water-swallowing test, and the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10).Results: The average tongue pressure was 47.0 ± 13.7 and 48.6 ± 11.5 kPa in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p = 0.55), whereas the average HD during swallowing was 15.3 ± 4.4 and 13.0 ± 4.2 mm in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p < 0.05). The median of HV during swallowing was 19.5 (6.41–45.86) and 15.9 (3.7–39.7) mm/s in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia group (p < 0.05). The median of time needed for consuming 100 ml water was 12.43 (3.56–49.34) and 5.66 (2.07–19.13) seconds in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p < 0.05). The median of the EAT-10 score was 0 (0–2) and 0 (0–1) in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p < 0.05).Conclusions: In elderly individuals, swallowing function was significantly impaired with sarcopenia before clinical symptoms become clear. However, tongue muscles exhibited resistance to sarcopenia. We observed compensative strategies in patients with sarcopenia, such as reduced swallowing speed and increased hyoid bone movement.