Relationship between Tongue Pressure and Nutritional Status in Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Single-center Cross-sectional Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate tongue pressure in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) and identify factors associated with tongue pressure, such as nutritional status and sarcopenia components. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 80 outpatients undergoing MHD at our hospital between February and August 2024. Tongue pressure was measured using a tongue pressure measuring device. Patients were divided into groups of low tongue pressure (<30 kPa) and high tongue pressure (≥30 kPa). The geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) and the nutritional risk index for Japanese hemodialysis patients (NRI-JH) were used as nutritional indicators. To identify factors strongly associated with tongue pressure in MHD, a multiple regression analysis was performed, with tongue pressure as the dependent variable. Results: The median age of the participants was 81.0 years. The mean tongue pressure was 29.0 kPa, and 58.8% of the patients had tongue pressure less than 30 kPa. Tongue pressure was significantly lower in the oldest age group (≥85 years) than in the younger groups (≤64 years and 65-74 years). Significant correlations were noted between tongue pressure and age, serum albumin, skeletal muscle mass index, phase angle, and handgrip strength. In the multivariate analysis, age, GNRI, and handgrip strength were independent predictors of tongue pressure. Conclusions: This study revealed that age, handgrip strength, and GNRI were independently associated with tongue pressure in patients undergoing MHD. These factors may be used as indicators of tongue pressure in patients undergoing MHD.