RESPIRATORY MUSCLE STRENGTH IS ASSOCIATED TO PARITY AMONG LOW-INCOME WOMEN FROM NORTHEAST BRAZIL

• Published in: Innovation in aging 2017-07, Vol.1 (suppl_1), p.441-442
• Main Authors: Cmara, S., Azevedo, I.G., Pirkle, C., Rosendaal, N.T., Maciel, A., Viana, E.d.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.1581

High parity is common in low-income settings and it is related to chronic conditions among women. This study investigated associations between parity and respiratory muscle strength in low-income women (Northeast Brazil). In a cross-sectional study, 204 community-dwelling women (40–80 years-old) were evaluated regarding the number of lifetime childbirths and ability of generating maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressures with a digital manometer. We performed multiple linear regression analyses to model the effect of multiple births on MIP and MEP, adjusting for covariates (current age, age at first birth, income, education, smoking, BMI, time seated during a day and walking per week). Forty four percent of the sample had ≤3 births, 30.4% had 4 to 6 births and 25.5% had 7 births or more. There is a clear gradient in relation to MEP and parity groups; those with a higher number of births had lower MEP values. In the fully adjusted model, women with ≥7 births and women with 4–6 births presented lower mean MEP (β= -17.79 cmH2O; p=0.01 and β= -12.46 cmH2O; p=0.02, respectively) than women with ≤3 births. No relation was observed between parity and MIP. We hypothesized that multiparity may affect the abdominal strength due to impairment in the muscles biomechanics. Diastasis recti is common after multiple pregnancies and may cause disadvantage in strength generation, reducing expiratory pressures. Lower expiratory pressures are related to higher incidence of lung diseases including atelectasis and recurrent pneumonia, which are important debilitating conditions for elderly.