Objective:To investigate the correlation between age and tongue pressure in healthy individuals using a newly-developed tongue pressure measuring device.Methods:A total of 154 healthy volunteers aged 20 to 97 years, without noticeable swallowing difficulties, were selected and divided into seven age groups: 20-29 years ( n=24), 30-39 years ( n=22), 40-49 years ( n=20), 50-59 years ( n=24), 60-69 years ( n=22), 70-79 years ( n=22), and 80 years or more ( n=20). Their maximum, minimum, average and initial pressures, work done, and coefficients of variation were measured using the newly designed tongue pressure measuring device in its intermittent and continuous measurement modes. The tongue pressures were correlated with age and gender. Results:The pressure data obtained using the new device were completely consistent with those from a manometer ( R=1). In the intermittent measurement mode, the readings showed that the maximum, minimum and average tongue pressures decreased significantly with age. In the continuous measurement mode, the initial tongue pressure, average pressure and work done also decreased significantly with age, while the coefficient of variation generally increased with age. There was a negative correlation between age and average tongue pressure ( R2=0.4). The relationship could be expressed as y=-0.8595x+ 103.3 (where x is age, and y is tongue pressure). However, no significant correlation was found between gender and tongue pressure. Conclusions:Tongue pressure and its stability are negatively correlated with age in healthy individuals without swallowing dysfunction, showing no significant correlation with gender.

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often need to have various catheters placed on their bodies due to their severe condition. In order to prevent the occurrence of unplanned extubation, patients' hands should be restrained appropriately. The current restraint gloves used in clinical practice have problems such as improper restraint, easy falling off of oxygen saturation monitoring probes, and pressure injury of hands. Therefore, department of critical care medicine, Affiliated Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine designed a wrist restraint glove suitable for restless patients, and obtained the national utility model patent (ZL 2020 2 1612453.7). The device is composed of restraint gloves and restraint rings, which can not only restrain patients, but also continuously monitor the changes of blood oxygen saturation in patients with restfulness. This device is convenient to use, low cost, comfortable to wear, and can prevent the occurrence of device-related pressure injuries, which is suitable for clinical application.
Humans ; Wrist ; Intensive Care Units ; Critical Care ; Hand ; Upper Extremity ; Restraint, Physical