High Mortality in an Older Japanese Population with Low Forced Vital Capacity and Gender-Dependent Potential Impact of Muscle Strength: Longitudinal Cohort Study

Abstract

Generally, weak muscle power is associated with high mortality. We aimed to evaluate the unknown association between % predicted value forced vital capacity (FVC% predicted) and mortality in asymptomatic older people, and the impact of muscle power on this association. We analyzed the Tsurugaya cohort that enrolled Japanese people aged ≥70 for 15 years with Cox proportional hazards model. Exposure variables were FVC% predicted and leg power. The outcome was all-cause mortality. The subjects were divided into quartiles by FVC% predicted or leg power, or into two groups by 80% for FVC% predicted or by the strongest 25% for leg power. Across 985 subjects, 262 died. The males with lower FVC% predicted exhibited higher mortality risks. The hazard ratio (HR) was 2.03 (95% CI 1.30–3.18) at the lowest relative to the highest groups. The addition of leg power reduced the HR to 1.78 (95% CI 1.12–2.80). In females, FVC% predicted under 80% was a risk factor and the HR was 1.67 (95% CI 1.05–2.64) without the effect of leg power. In FVC% predicted <80% males HRs were 2.44 (95% CI 1.48–4.02) in weak and 1.38 (95% CI 0.52–3.64) in strong leg power males, relative to ≥80% and strong leg power males. Low FVC% predicted was associated with high mortality with potential unfavorable effects of weak leg power in males.

A pulmonary rehabilitation program is an effective strategy to improve forced vital capacity, muscle strength, and functional exercise capacity similarly in adults and older people with post-severe COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation

“…On the other hand, in women only the reduction of the percent predicted FVC was a mortality risk factor (HR = 1.67). In conclusion, a low percent predicted FVC was associated with high mortality and unfavorable effects of lower limb strength in men [19]. The results of the present study indicated that in older adults, a signi cant reduction in FVC, distance covered on the 6MWT, and limb strength was observed.…”

A pulmonary rehabilitation program is an effective strategy to improve forced vital capacity, muscle strength, and functional exercise capacity similarly in adults and older people with post-severe COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation

“…On the other hand, in women only the reduction of the percent predicted FVC was a mortality risk factor (HR = 1.67). In conclusion, a low percent predicted FVC was associated with high mortality and unfavorable effects of lower limb strength in men [ 22 ]. The results of the present study indicated that in older adults, a significant reduction in FVC, distance covered on the 6MWT, and limb strength was observed.…”

Impacts of body positions on the geniohyoid muscle contraction and swallowing difficulty in healthy adults

“…Recent studies showed an association between muscle weakness and pneumonia (Komatsu et al, 2018 ; Miyatake et al, 2022 ; Okazaki et al, 2020 ; Shiokawa et al, 2023 ). As for the relationship between swallowing muscles and pneumonia, a previous study showed an association between low tongue pressure and the onset of pneumonia in stroke patients (Nakamori et al, 2016 ).…”