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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2018; 76(11): 743-750
DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20180129
Article

Quantitative sensory testing in elderly: longitudinal study

Teste sensitivo quantitativo em idosos: estudo longitudinal

Authors

  • Luciana Alvarenga da Silva

    1   Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Neurologia, São Paulo SP, Brasil;

  • Omar Jaluul

    2   Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clínicas, Divisão de Geriatria, São Paulo SP, Brasil;

  • Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira

    3   Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital de Clínicas, Departamento de Neurologia, Centro de Dor Interdisciplinar, São Paulo SP, Brasil;

  • José Tadeu Tesseroli de Siqueira

    4   Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clínicas, Divisão de Odontologia, Grupo de Dor Orofacial, São Paulo SP, Brasil;

  • Wilson Jacob Filho

    5   Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital das Clínicas, Divisão de Geriatria, Núcleo de Apoio à Pesquisa em Geriatria e Gerontologia São Paulo SP, Brasil;

  • Silvia Regina Dowgan Tesseroli de Siqueira

    6   Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina, Hospital de Clínicas, Departamento de Neurologia, São Paulo SP, Brasil.
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ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate elderly patients in a geriatric service, along with their sensory characteristics and their association with clinical aspects.

Methods: 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.

RESUMO

Objetivo: Avaliar pacientes idosos em um serviço de geriatria, juntamente com as características sensitivas e sua associação com aspectos clínicos.

Métodos: Este é um estudo longitudinal descritivo. Foram avaliados 36 sujeitos saudáveis de ambos os sexos. Os seguintes instrumentos e avaliações foram realizados: Avaliação clínica, Mini Exame de Estado Mental (Mini-Mental) e testes sensitivos quantitativos.

Resultados: Durante o acompanhamento houve redução do volume corpuscular médio (VCM) em cada avaliação (P < 0,001) e aumento significativo das concentrações de hemoglobina corpuscular média (CHCM) (P < 0,001). Houve aumento dos limiares olfativos (p < 0,001), salgado (p = 0,024), azedo (p = 0,020), amargo (p = 0,001), frio face (p = 0,019), frio mão (p = 0,004), tato face (p < 0,001), tato mão (p = 0.012) e vibração face (p = 0,018). Morbidades prévias foram associadas às alterações de sensibilidade nos indivíduos desta amostra.

Conclusão: Este estudo longitudinal sugere que a perda de sensibilidade no envelhecimento pode estar associada à presença de morbidades em idosos.

Keywords:

Aging - sensory thresholds - aged - taste - smell

Palavras-chave:

Envelhecimento - limiar sensorial - idoso - paladar - olfato

Support

This work was supported by National Council of Scientific Researches – Brazil (160938/2013-9).




Publication History

Received: 04 June 2018

Accepted: 13 August 2018

Article published online:
22 August 2023

© 2023. Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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