Association between tongue pressure and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in relation to platelet levels in hypertensive elderly men: a cross-sectional study

• Main Authors: Yuji Shimizu, Shimpei Sato, Yuko Noguchi, Jun Koyamatsu, Hirotomo Yamanashi, Miho Higashi, Mako Nagayoshi, Shin-Ya Kawashiri, Yasuhiro Nagata, Noboru Takamura, Takahiro Maeda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2018-07-01
• Series: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
• Subjects: Atherosclerosis; Hypertension; Platelets; Tongue pressure
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12199-018-0720-5

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 × 104/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.