RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Tongue pressure, respiratory muscle and limb strength and functional exercise capacity in oesophageal cancer
JF BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
JO BMJ Support Palliat Care
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP spcare-2024-005100
DO 10.1136/spcare-2024-005100
A1 Fukushima, Takuya
A1 Yamasaki, Makoto
A1 Yamamoto, Nobuyuki
A1 Arima, Yasuaki
A1 Harino, Takashi
A1 Hori, Soshi
A1 Hashimoto, Yuki
A1 Kotsuka, Masaya
A1 Inoue, Kentaro
A1 Hase, Kimitaka
A1 Nakano, Jiro
YR 2024
UL http://spcare.bmj.com/content/early/2024/09/24/spcare-2024-005100.abstract
AB Objectives Preoperative management of oesophageal cancer requires effective prehabilitation. This study investigates the relationship between tongue pressure, respiratory muscle, handgrip and lower limb muscle strengths, and functional exercise capacity in patients with oesophageal cancer to develop a novel prehabilitation strategy.Methods This prospective, single-centre, observational study analysed data from 29 pretreatment patients with oesophageal cancer. We evaluated tongue pressure, maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, handgrip and lower limb muscle strengths, functional exercise capacity and dysphagia scores before treatment. The relationship between parameters was identified using Spearman’s correlation analysis.Results Maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures were significantly associated with handgrip and lower extremity muscle strengths and functional exercise capacity. However, tongue pressure was not associated with maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures, handgrip and lower extremity muscle strengths and functional exercise capacity. Rather, tongue pressure was significantly associated with clinical T, dysphagia and nutritional status scores.Conclusions Respiratory muscle strength was associated with conventional sarcopenia and functional exercise capacity. Tongue pressure was not associated with respiratory muscle strength, conventional sarcopenia and functional exercise capacity. Rather, tongue pressure was associated with clinical T, dysphagia and nutritional status scores. Preoperative management of oesophageal cancer requires prehabilitation consisting of exercise and nutritional therapy and an additional swallowing programme, such as tongue resistance training, for patients without progress in oral intake, based on tongue pressure evaluation.Data are available upon reasonable request. The data supporting this study’s findings are available upon request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy reasons.