{"id":"1b2b6ed3-f6f1-4508-934a-7e75b655eb69","slug":"oral-health-and-temporal-muscle-thickness","title":"Oral health and temporal muscle thickness","authors":["Ramon Cesar G. Gonçalves","Nicollas Nunes Rabelo","Eberval G. Figueiredo","Leonardo C. Welling"],"abstract":"Background: The article by Katsuki et al. discusses the prognostic significance of temporal muscle thickness (TMT) and area (TMA) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The authors highlight the relevance of these measurements in the geriatric population, particularly concerning sarcopenia, which is characterized by reduced skeletal muscle mass and strength. The relationship between oral health and muscle function, particularly in the context of chewing, is also noted. Summary: The authors of this letter commend the original work for its clinical relevance and suggest that oral health data could enhance the understanding of factors influencing TMT and TMA. They point out that tooth loss may lead to weakening of chewing muscles, which could exacerbate sarcopenia. The letter emphasizes the need to consider oral health as a potential confounding factor in studies assessing muscle thickness and strength in elderly patients. Conclusion: Incorporating oral health data into future studies could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors affecting muscle thickness and strength in the elderly. The authors recommend that the absence of such data be acknowledged as a limitation in the original study. This consideration may help in developing preventive measures to reduce mortality associated with sarcopenia. Keywords: temporal muscle thickness, sarcopenia, oral health, chewing muscles, elderly, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, prognostic factors","thumbnailUrl":"https://sni-digital-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/placeholders/specialty/neurovascular.png","publishDate":"2021-10-19T00:00:00.000Z","doi":"10.25259/SNI_905_2021","categories":["Neurovascular","Letter to the Editor"],"fullTextUrl":"https://surgicalneurologyint.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/11185/SNI-12-527.pdf"}