Quantitative sensory testing in elderly: longitudinal study

This was a descriptive longitudinal study. We enrolled 36 healthy participants of both sexes in this study. The following instruments were used and evaluations performed: clinical evaluation, Mini-Mental State Exam, and quantitative sensory testing.

Results:

During the follow-up, there was reduction of mean corpuscular volume at each evaluation (p < 0.001) and significant increase in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (p < 0.001). There was an increase of the olfactory (p < 0.001), salty (p = 0.024), sour (p = 0.020), bitter (p = 0.001), facial cold (p = 0.019), hand cold (p = 0.004), facial tactile (p < 0.001), hand tactile (p = 0.012) and facial vibration (p = 0.018) thresholds. Previous existing morbidities were associated with sensitivity changes in the individuals in this sample.

Conclusion:

This longitudinal study suggests that the loss of sensitivity with aging may be associated with the presence of morbidities in elders.

Keywords:
Aging; sensory thresholds; aged; taste; smell

Variable		n	%	p-value
Sex
	Female	25	69.4	0.676
	Male	11	30.6
Marital status
	Single	4	11.1
	Married	22	61.1	0.864
	Divorced	1	2.8
	Widower	9	25.0
Occupation
	Housewives	3	8.3
	Retired	26	72.2	0.108
	Employed	7	19.4
Education
	8 years	13	36.1
	11 years	6	16.7	0.152
	15 years	17	47.2
Ethnic group
	White	27	75.0
	Black	1	2.8	0.007
	Asian	8	22.2
Consumed alcohol
	No	27	75.0
	Weekly	4	11.1	0.784
	Socially	5	13.9
Morbidities
	Hypertension	7	19.4
	Diabetes mellitus type II	5	13.9
	Osteoarthritis	9	25.0	0.010
	Osteoporosis	4	11.1
	Hypercholesterolemia	12	33.3
	Hypothyroidism	6	16.7
Number of morbidities
	None	11	30.6
	One	12	33.3	0.100
	Two	8	22.2
	Three	5	13.9
Medication
	Antihypertensive	7	19.4
	Antiglycemic	5	13.9
	Antiresorptive	3	8.3
	Anti-inflammatory	6	16.7	0.006
	Statins	10	27.8
	Levothyroxyne sodium	7	19.4
	Analgesic	6	16.7
Number of medications
	None	15	41.7
	One	6	16.7	0.216
	Two	7	19.4
	Three	8	22.2

Variable	Comparison		Value Z	p-value
MCV^* * MCV: mean corpuscular volume, MCHC: mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. (fL)	Initial -	1 year	3.39	< 0.001
	Initial -	2 years	5.82	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	2.43	0.015
MCHC^* * MCV: mean corpuscular volume, MCHC: mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. (g/dL)	Initial -	1 year	-5.82	< 0.001
	Initial -	2 years	-3.39	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	2.43	0.015
Multiple nonparametric comparisons for longitudinal data

Variable	Comparison		Value Z	p-value
Olfactory (%)	Initial -	1 year	-2.69	0.007
	Initial -	2 years	-6.86	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-4.16	< 0.001
Salty (mol)	Initial -	1 year	0.00	> 0.999
	Initial -	2 years	-2.79	0.005
	1 year -	2 years	-2.79	0.005
Sour (mol)	Initial -	1 year	-1.81	0.070
	Initial -	2 years	-3.33	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-1.52	0.129
Bitter (mol)	Initial -	1 year	0.29	0.769
	Initial -	2 years	-3.38	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-3.67	< 0.001
Cold – Face (°C)	Initial -	1 year	1.42	0.155
	Initial -	2 years	-3.18	0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-4.61	< 0.001
Cold – Hand (°C)	Initial -	1 year	-0.83	0.405
	Initial -	2 years	-5.19	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-4.36	< 0.001
Tactile – Face(g/mm²)	Initial -	1 year	-2.55	0.011
	Initial -	2 years	-5.88	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-3.33	< 0.001
Tactile – Hand (g/mm²)	Initial -	1 year	-0.59	0.557
	Initial -	2 years	-4.16	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-3.58	< 0.001
Vibration – Face (Hz)	Initial -	1 year	-0.20	0.845
	Initial -	2 years	-3.48	< 0.001
	1 year -	2 years	-3.28	0.001

Morbidities	Sensitivity	Threshold**	Initial	1 year	2 years
Hypertension	Warm hand	↑	∘	0.031^* * Mann-Whitney Test;	∘
Hypertension	Tactile hand	↓	∘	∘	0.004^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
Diabetes mellitus type II	Sweet	↓	0.002^* * Mann-Whitney Test;	∘	∘
	Bitter	↓	0.037^* * Mann-Whitney Test;	∘	∘
	Sour	↓	∘	∘	0.023^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
	Cold face	↑	0.021^* * Mann-Whitney Test;	∘	∘
Osteoarthritis	Warm hand	↑	0.047^* * Mann-Whitney Test;	∘	∘
	Warm hand	↓	∘	0.017^* * Mann-Whitney Test;	0.036^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
	Tactile face	↓	∘	∘	0.030^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
	Tactile hand	↓	∘	∘	0.036^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
	Olfactory	↑	∘	∘	0.007^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
Osteoporosis	Bitter	↑	∘	∘	0.018^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
Hypercholesterolemia	Vibration face	↓	∘	0.006^* * Mann-Whitney Test;	∘
Hypercholesterolemia	Bitter	↓	∘	∘	0.015^* * Mann-Whitney Test;
Hypothyroidism	Warm hand	↑	∘	∘	0.037^* * Mann-Whitney Test;

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[1] Correspondence: Silvia R. D. T. Siqueira; R. Maria Candida, 135; 02071-010 São Paulo SP, Brasil; E-mail: silviadowgan@hotmail.com