Association between tongue pressure and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in relation to platelet levels in hypertensive elderly men: a cross-sectional study.
10.1186/s12199-018-0720-5
- Author:
Yuji SHIMIZU
1
;
Shimpei SATO
2
;
Yuko NOGUCHI
2
;
Jun KOYAMATSU
3
;
Hirotomo YAMANASHI
3
;
Miho HIGASHI
4
;
Mako NAGAYOSHI
2
;
Shin-Ya KAWASHIRI
2
;
Yasuhiro NAGATA
5
;
Noboru TAKAMURA
4
;
Takahiro MAEDA
2
Author Information
1. Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan. shimizuyuji@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
2. Department of Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
3. Department of Island and Community Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
4. Department of Global Health, Medicine and Welfare, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
5. Center for Comprehensive Community Care Education, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Atherosclerosis;
Hypertension;
Platelets;
Tongue pressure
- MeSH:
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Aging;
blood;
physiology;
Carotid Artery Diseases;
blood;
physiopathology;
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness;
Confidence Intervals;
Cross-Sectional Studies;
Humans;
Hypertension;
blood;
physiopathology;
Japan;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Odds Ratio;
Platelet Count;
Pressure;
Risk Factors;
Tongue;
physiology
- From:Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
2018;23(1):31-31
- CountryJapan
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND:Age-related low-grade inflammation causing endothelial disruption influences sarcopenia, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. We reported previously that maintenance of muscle strength in elderly hypertensive men with high platelet levels is positively associated with subclinical atherosclerosis but not in those with low platelet levels. Since reduced tongue pressure is related to sarcopenia, tongue pressure may be associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive elderly subjects, and platelet levels may function as an indicator of the association between tongue pressure and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis.
METHODS:We conducted a cross-sectional study of 342 hypertensive elderly Japanese men aged 60-89 who participated in an annual health check-up in 2015 and 2016. Subclinical carotid atherosclerosis was defined as a common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) of 1.1 mm or more.
RESULTS:In the overall study population, 171 subjects demonstrated low platelets (< 21.4 × 10/μL). Tongue pressure was significantly inversely associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in these subjects, but not in subjects with high platelets. The known cardiovascular risk factor adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of subclinical carotid atherosclerosis for a 1 standard deviation (SD) increment in tongue pressure (10.4 kPa) were 0.54 (0.35, 0.85) and 1.31 (0.87, 1.96), respectively.
CONCLUSION:Tongue pressure is inversely associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive elderly men with low platelet levels, but not in those with high levels. This finding may thus constitute an efficient tool for clarifying the background mechanism of age-related diseases such as sarcopenia, hypertension, and atherosclerosis.
