Association between tongue ultrasonographic characteristics, Yin-deficiency constitution, and intrinsic capacity impairment in older adults: An exploratory cross-sectional study.

Authors

Kuan-Tso Chen, Chia-Ling Chao, Ming-Ta Hsieh, Tsung-Jen Hsieh, Chih-Ting Lin, Po-Huang Chiang, Wen-Long Hu, Chin-Chuan Tsai, I-Cheng Lu, Yu-Chiang Hung

Published in

Medicine. Volume 105. Issue 28. Pages e49571. Jul 10, 2026.

Abstract

Population aging is accompanied by a progressive decline in intrinsic capacity, yet objective measures reflecting underlying physiological changes remain limited. Yin-deficiency constitution in traditional Chinese medicine has been associated with intrinsic capacity impairment, but its structural correlates remain unclear. This exploratory study investigated associations among tongue ultrasonographic characteristics, Yin-deficiency constitution, and intrinsic capacity impairment in older adults. In this exploratory cross-sectional study, community-dwelling older adults attending a traditional Chinese medicine outpatient clinic (n = 123; mean age 71.6 ± 4.6 years) completed the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire-Elderly Edition. Tongue thickness and echo intensity were measured using standardized ultrasonographic protocols, and intrinsic capacity was assessed using the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework. Higher tongue echo intensity was associated with lower tongue thickness and higher Yin-deficiency scores. In multivariable linear regression analyses, tongue thickness remained strongly associated with tongue echo intensity (β = -0.548, P < .001), whereas the association between Yin-deficiency scores and tongue echo intensity became attenuated and was no longer statistically significant after adjustment for tongue thickness (β = -0.135, P = .079). Yin-deficiency constitution was associated with cognitive impairment (odds ratio = 2.79, 95% confidence interval = 1.13-6.89, P = .026) and visual impairment (odds ratio = 3.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.57-8.96, P = .003), whereas tongue echo intensity alone was not independently associated with ICOPE-defined intrinsic capacity impairments. Thickness-adjusted sensitivity analyses showed attenuated but directionally consistent findings. Tongue echo intensity appears to reflect structural variation in tongue musculature rather than an independent constitution-specific characteristic. Yin-deficiency constitution was associated with cognitive and visual impairment, whereas tongue echo intensity was not independently associated with ICOPE-defined intrinsic capacity impairments. These findings are exploratory and require validation in larger multicenter cohorts.

PMID:
42432895
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 11 Jul 2026.

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