Effect of physical frailty on maximum phonation time in community-dwelling older individuals who visited a neurology outpatient clinic.

BACKGROUND

Maximum phonation time (MPT) is used to assess speech and other oral rehabilitation-related issues. Various factors contribute to MPT decline in older individuals. Although the impact of physical frailty on MPT has been suggested, this has not been conclusively determined.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between MPT and physical frailty in community-dwelling individuals aged ≥60 years who were independently mobile. MPT-associated factors were investigated.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study analysed the clinical data of 122 patients (age [interquartile range]: 80.0 [74.0-83.0] years) without dementia who visited a neurology department between 1 February 2021 and 31 January 2023. Investigated factors included age, sex, weight, height, body mass index, smoking history, grip strength, functional independence measure, vital capacity, oral diadochokinesis, MPT and the Japanese Cardiovascular Health Study score. Physical frailty was assessed based on the total score from five items (weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slowness and low physical activity). The relationship between MPT and physical frailty was examined using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and hierarchical multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

The MPT was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.347, p < .01) and physical frailty (r = -0.681, p < .01) and positively correlated with vital capacity (r = 0.474, p < .01) and height (r = 0.248, p < .01). The hierarchical multiple regression analysis, conducted with MPT as the dependent variable, demonstrated that physical frailty (β = -.59, 95% confidence interval: -0.74 to 0.43, p < .001) had a strong influence on MPT.

CONCLUSION

In older individuals, MPT is associated with physical frailty. When assessing MPT in clinical settings, it is advisable to perform a concurrent assessment of physical frailty.