The Effect of Aging on Respiratory Muscle Function

• Published in: Nihon Kyōbu Shikkan Gakkai zasshi Vol. 29; no. 7; pp. 795 - 801
• Main Authors: Maeda, Hitoshi, Hashimoto, Akinori, Hashimoto, Yukako, Tanaka, Katsuji, Yokoyama, Mitsuhiro, Fukuzaki, Hisashi, Nishimura, Yoshihiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan The Japanese Respiratory Society 01.07.1991
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aging; Aging - physiology; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pulmonary function test; Respiratory Function Tests; Respiratory muscle; Respiratory Muscles - physiology; Sex Factors
• ISSN: 0301-1542; 1883-471X
• DOI: 10.11389/jjrs1963.29.795

To elucidate the effect of aging on respiratory muscle function, the authors performed respiratory muscle function tests in 116 normal subjects. Respiratory muscle function was evaluated with maximal expiratory mouth pressure at the TLC level (PEmax) and maximal inspiratory mouth pressure at the RV level (PImax). PEmax and PImax in both sexes showed significant correlations with age. PEmax in males was significantly higher than that in females (123.6±29.7cmH2 and 79.0±21.1cmH2O, p<0.01, respectively). PImax in males was also significantly higher than that in females (98.4±26.0cmH2O and 71.9±26.4cmH2O, p<0.01, respectively). PEmax correlated significantly with TLC, and PImax showed a significant inverse correlation with RV/TLC. Furthermore, there was a significant inverse correlation between RV/TLC and age. Our data suggest that inspiratory muscle weakness in aging may be responsible for the increase in RV/TLC.