Relationships of Variations in the Tongue Microbiota and Pneumonia Mortality in Nursing Home Residents. (19th October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kageyama, Shinya; Takeshita, Toru; Furuta, Michiko; Tomioka, Mikiko; Asakawa, Mikari; Suma, Shino; Takeuchi, Kenji; Shibata, Yukie; Iwasa, Yasuyuki; Yamashita, Yoshihisa
• Is Part Of: Journals of gerontology. Volume 73:Number 8(2018:Aug.)
• Page Start: 1097
• Page End: 1102
• Publication Date: 2017-10-19
• Subjects: Oral cavity -- Tongue microbiota -- Prospective cohort -- Aspiration pneumonia -- Mortality risk; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; 618.97
• DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glx205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1079-5006

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Aspiration of oral debris, containing dense oral bacteria, is a major cause of pneumonia in elderly adults. This study investigated the relationship between tongue microbiota composition and incidence of pneumonia-related deaths, in nursing home residents. Methods: The subjects were assessed for health conditions, including their tongue microbiota, at baseline. We determined tongue microbiota profiles by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing and clustering approach. All subjects ( n = 173) were followed prospectively for a median of 19 months to assess the incidence of all-cause death, including pneumonia-related death. We evaluated risk estimates of microbiota effects on death using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Results: Tongue microbiota were classified into two community types: type I was dominated by Prevotella and Veillonella species, while type II was dominated by Neisseria and Fusobacterium species. The subjects with type I microbiota exhibited a significantly greater risk of all-cause death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 3.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.38–10.39) and pneumonia-related death (aHR = 13.88, 95% CI = 1.64–117.21), than those with type II microbiota. There was no significant association between microbiota type and other-cause death. Conclusions: The tongue microbiota type was significantly associated with an increased mortality risk from pneumonia in nursing home residents.