Skeletal Muscle Apoptotic Signaling Predicts Thigh Muscle Volume and Gait Speed in Community-Dwelling Older Persons: An Exploratory Study

Background:Sarcopenia, the age-related decline in skeletal muscle volume and function, is associated with negative clinical and socioeconomic outcomes in elderly people. Clinical biomarkers to diagnose sarcopenia that can be quantified in a reliable, and cost- effective manner, are needed. We investigated whether the creatinine (Cr) /cystatin C (CysC) ratio is correlated with muscle volume and physical function in Japanese community-dwelling elderly subjects. Methods: The present study included 213 men aged 73.2±6.2 years and 464 women aged 72.4±5.5 years from a rural area in the Hyogo prefecture of Japan. To evaluate whether the Cr/CysC ratio is correlated with sarcopenia criteria in elderly individuals with preserved kidney function, we excluded subjects with estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <45. Results:The prevalence of sarcopenia diagnosed according to the AWGS criteria was 2.8% in men and 3.4% in women. The Cr/CysC ratio correlated with skeletal mass index (r = 0.49, p <0.0001), skeletal muscle mass (r = 0.53, p <0.0001), grip power (r = 0.59, p <0.0001), knee extension muscle strength (r = 0.49, p <0.0001), normal gait speed (r = 0.18, p <0.0001), and maximal gait speed (r = 0.32, p <0.0001). A negative correlation between the Cr/CysC ratio and, body fat mass (r = -0.20, p <0.0001) and percentage of body fat mass (r = -0.39, p <0.0001) was observed. In a multiple regression analysis, Cr/CysC was also found to be significantly positively correlated with each component of the sarcopenia criteria. Conclusions:Even in elderly individuals with preserved kidney function, the Cr/CysC ratio was positively correlated with muscle volume and physical function and negatively correlated with body fat mass. Therefore, the Cr/CysC ratio might be a useful biomarker to predict sarcopenia.

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Association between Circulating Osteoprogenitor Cells and Sarcopenia

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000520488 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Ahmed Al Saedi ◽

Steven Phu ◽

Sara Vogrin ◽

Piumali Gunawardene ◽

Gustavo Duque

Keyword(s):

Gait Speed ◽

Muscle Function ◽

Older Persons ◽

Clinical Utility ◽

Handgrip Strength ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Gait Velocity ◽

Cut Points ◽

Potential Biomarker ◽

Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Background: Circulating osteoprogenitor (COP) cells are a surrogate of the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with high levels observed in osteoporosis and the initial stages of fracture healing. Conversely, a low percentage of COP cells (%COP) is strongly associated with frailty and disability. However, it is unknown whether %COP is associated with sarcopenia, a musculoskeletal disease closely related to frailty. Objectives: This study sought to determine the associations between %COP and sarcopenia defined using the Sarcopenia Definitions and Outcomes Consortium (SDOC) criteria. Methods: Data from a random sample of 73 community-dwelling older persons enrolled in the Nepean Osteoporosis and Frailty study (median age 74 years; 60% female) were analyzed. %COP was quantified by flow cytometry using selective gating of CD45/osteocalcin (OCN) + cells. Sarcopenia was defined using handgrip strength and gait speed with cut points as per the SDOC criteria. Linear regression was used for analysis. Results: Sarcopenia was identified in 19% of participants, all of whom were frail. After adjusting for age, sex, and interleukin 6, sarcopenic participants had 36% lower %COP (95% confidence interval [CI] −56%, −6%, p = 0.024). Both grip strength and gait speed showed associations with %COP (p = 0.065 and 0.002, respectively); however, after adjusting for age and frailty, only gait speed remained associated with %COP (0.1 m/s increase in gait velocity was associated with a 5% increase in %COP cells (95% CI 0%, 10%, p = 0.052). Conclusions: High levels of %COP are associated with better muscle function. Future longitudinal studies are required to elucidate the clinical utility of %COP as a potential biomarker or disease stratifier for sarcopenia.

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Reliability of two gait speed tests of different timed phases and equal non-timed phases in community-dwelling older persons

Medwave ◽

10.5867/medwave.2019.03.7611 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (03) ◽

pp. e7611-e7611 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lincoyán Fernández-Huerta ◽

Karen Córdova-León

Keyword(s):

Gait Speed ◽

Older Persons ◽

Community Dwelling

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Estimating thigh skeletal muscle volume using multi-frequency segmental-bioelectrical impedance analysis

Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY ◽

10.1186/s40101-021-00263-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 40 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Masashi Taniguchi ◽

Yosuke Yamada ◽

Masahide Yagi ◽

Ryusuke Nakai ◽

Hiroshige Tateuchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Phase Angle ◽

Model Fitting ◽

Muscle Thickness ◽

Bioelectrical Impedance ◽

Impedance Analysis ◽

Muscle Volume ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Slice Thickness ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether using the extracellular water/intracellular water (ECW/ICW) index and phase angle combined with segmental-bioimpedance analysis (BIA) improved the model fitting of skeletal muscle volume (SMV) estimation. The secondary aim was to compare the accuracy of segmental-BIA with that of ultrasound for estimating the quadriceps SMV measured with MRI. Methods Seventeen young men (mean age, 23.8 ± 3.3 years) participated in the study. The T-1 weighted images of thigh muscles were obtained using a 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Thigh and quadriceps SMVs were calculated as the sum of the products of anatomical cross-sectional area and slice thickness of 6 mm across all slices. Segmental-BIA was applied to the thigh region, and data on the 50-kHz bioelectrical impedance (BI) index, ICW index, ECW/ICW index, and phase angle were obtained. The muscle thickness index was calculated as the product of the mid-thigh muscle thickness, determined using ultrasound, and thigh length. The standard error of estimate (SEE) of the regression equation was calculated to determine the model fitting of SMV estimation and converted to %SEE by dividing the SEE values by the mean SMV. Results Multiple regression analysis indicated that the combination of 50-kHz BI and the ECW/ICW index or phase angle was a significant predictor when estimating thigh SMV (SEE = 7.9 and 8.1%, respectively), but were lower than the simple linear regression (SEE = 9.4%). The ICW index alone improved the model fitting for the estimation equation (SEE = 7.6%). The model fitting of the quadriceps SMV with the 50-kHz BI or ICW index was similar to that with the skeletal muscle thickness index measured using ultrasound (SEE = 10.8, 9.6 and 9.7%, respectively). Conclusions Combining the traditionally used 50-kHz BI index with the ECW/ICW index and phase angle can improve the model fitting of estimated SMV measured with MRI. We also showed that the model suitability of SMV estimation using segmental-BIA was equivalent to that on using ultrasound. These data indicate that segmental-BIA may be a useful and cost-effective alternative to the gold standard MRI for estimating SMV.

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The Association between Different Levels of Alcohol Use and Gait under Single and Dual Task in Community-Dwelling Older Persons Aged 65 to 70 Years

Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research ◽

10.1155/2016/2018507 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laurence Seematter-Bagnoud ◽

Christophe Büla ◽

Brigitte Santos-Eggimann

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Dual Task ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Older Persons ◽

Heavy Drinking ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Single Task ◽

Moderate Drinking

Objectives. This study aimed to describe the cross-sectional and longitudinal association between alcohol intake and gait parameters in older persons.Methods. Community-dwelling persons aged 65–70 years (N=807). Information on health, functional status, and alcohol use was self-reported at baseline and at 3-year follow-up, whereas gait speed and stride-to-stride variability were measured while walking only (single task) and under dual tasking (counting backwards).Results. Compared to light-to-moderate drinking, heavy drinking was associated with slower gait speed in single task (adj. coeff.: −.040, 95% CI: −.0.78 to −.002,p=.035). No significant association was observed between heavy drinking and gait speed variability. Nondrinkers walked significantly slower than light-to-moderate drinkers in dual task and had significantly higher gait speed variability in both single and dual task, but these associations disappeared after adjustment for comorbidity. At follow-up, 35.2% and 34.1% of the participants walked significantly slower in single and dual task, respectively. This proportion varied a little across drinking categories.Conclusion. At baseline, heavy alcohol consumption was significantly associated with slower gait speed in single task. Selective survival of the fittest heavy drinkers probably explains why this association faded in longitudinal analyses. The trend of poorer gait performance in nondrinkers disappeared after adjustment for comorbidity, suggesting confounding by a worse health status.

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The predictive value of gait speed and maximum step length for falling in community-dwelling older persons

Age and Ageing ◽

10.1093/ageing/afu151 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 44 (2) ◽

pp. 294-299 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

K. T. J. Bongers ◽

Y. Schoon ◽

M. J. Graauwmans ◽

H. J. Schers ◽

R. J. Melis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Predictive Value ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Older Persons ◽

Step Length ◽

Community Dwelling

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Accuracy and diversity of wearable device-based gait speed measurement among older adults: Observational study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.29884 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Min-Gu Kang ◽

Seong-Ji Kang ◽

Hye-Kang Roh ◽

Hwa-Young Jung ◽

Sun‑wook Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Muscle Mass ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Skeletal Muscle Mass ◽

Daily Life ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Wearable Device ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Accurate Information ◽

Speed Measurement

UNSTRUCTURED Gait speed measurement is used widely as a slow gait is a major feature of frailty and a diagnostic criterion for sarcopenia. With the development of wearable devices, it is possible to obtain daily life gait speed simply by wearing the device. Therefore, it is feasible and worthwhile to accurately determine the characteristics of daily-life gait speed and analyze their association with sarcopenia. We invited community-dwelling men over 50 years of age who had visited outpatient clinic at a tertiary university hospital. Daily life gait speed was assessed using a smart belt (WELT) the participants wore for a period of 4 weeks. Data from participants who wore the smart belt for at least 10 days during this period were included. After 4 weeks, data from a survey about medical and social history, “usual gait speed” measurements, handgrip strength measurements, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry were analyzed. A total of 217,578 daily life gait speed data from 106 participants (mean age, 71.1 ± 7.6 years) were analyzed. The mean daily life gait speed was 1.23 ± 0.26 m/s. The daily life gait speed of the participants varied by time and day of the week. Daily life gait speed was significantly lower in older individuals (P<0.001). Participants with sarcopenia (1.12 ± 0.11 m/s) had significantly lower mean daily life gait speed than participants who did not have sarcopenia (1.23 ± 0.08 m/s; P<0.001). Analysis of factors related to mean daily life gait speed showed that age and skeletal muscle mass of the lower limbs were significantly associated characteristics. In conclusion, more diverse and accurate information about gait speed can be obtained by measuring daily life gait speed using a wearable device over an appropriate time period, compared to one-time measurements performed in a laboratory setting. Importantly, daily life gait speed is significantly associated with skeletal muscle mass of the lower limbs, in addition to age.

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Skeletal muscle magnetic resonance biomarkers in GNE myopathy

Neurology ◽

10.1212/wnl.0000000000011231 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000011231

Author(s):

Chia-Ying Liu ◽

Jianhua Yao ◽

William C. Kovacs ◽

Joseph A. Shrader ◽

Galen Joe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Relaxation Time ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Disease Severity ◽

Muscle Volume ◽

Stage I ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Muscle Involvement ◽

Fat Infiltration ◽

Gne Myopathy

ObjectivesTo characterize muscle involvement and evaluate disease severity in patients with GNE myopathy using skeletal muscle MRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS).MethodsSkeletal muscle imaging of the lower extremities was performed in 31 patients with genetically confirmed GNE myopathy, including T1-weighted and STIR images, T1 and T2 mapping and 1H-MRS. Measures evaluated included longitudinal relaxation time (T1), transverse relaxation time (T2), and 1H-MRS fat fraction (FF). Thigh muscle volume was correlated with relevant measures of strength, function, and patient-reported outcomes.ResultsThe cohort was representative of a wide range of disease progression. Contractile thigh muscle volume ranged from 5.51% to 62.95%, and correlated with thigh strength (r = 0.91), the 6-minute walk test (r = 0.82), the adult myopathy assessment tool (r = 0.83), the activities-specific balance confidence scale (r = 0.65), and the inclusion body myositis functional rating scale (r = 0.62). Four stages of muscle involvement were distinguished by qualitative (T1W and STIR images) and quantitative methods: stage I) Unaffected muscle (T1 = 1,033 ± 74.2 ms, T2 = 40.0 ± 1.9 ms, FF = 7.4 ± 3.5%); Stage II) STIR hyperintense muscle with minimal or no fat infiltration (T1 = 1,305 ± 147 ms, T2 = 50.2 ± 3.5 ms, FF = 27.6 ± 12.7%); Stage III) Fat infiltration and STIR hyperintensity (T1 = 1,209 ± 348 ms, T2 = 73.3 ± 12.6 ms, FF = 57.5 ± 10.6%); and Stage IV) Complete fat replacement (T1 = 318 ± 39.9 ms, T2 = 114 ± 21.2 ms, FF = 85.6 ± 4.2%). 1H-MRS showed a significant decrease in intramyocellular lipid and trimethylamines (TMA) between stage I and II, suggesting altered muscle metabolism at early stages.ConclusionMRI biomarkers can monitor muscle involvement and determine disease severity non-invasively in patients with GNE myopathy.ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT01417533.

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The effect of different test protocols and walking distances on gait speed in older persons

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research ◽

10.1007/s40520-020-01703-z ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sebastian Krumpoch ◽

Ulrich Lindemann ◽

Anja Rappl ◽

Clemens Becker ◽

Cornel C. Sieber ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gait Speed ◽

Older Persons ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Assessment Tools ◽

Walking Distance ◽

Test Protocol ◽

Gait Characteristics ◽

Study Results ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Usual Gait Speed

Abstract Background and aims Walking is the core physical activity of older persons. The assessment of walking capacity is increasingly important for clinical purposes and clinical research. Differences between assessment tools and protocols for short walks to obtain gait characteristics can be responsible for changes, e.g., in gait speed from 0.1 to 0.2 m/s. The purpose of this study was to generate further knowledge for the harmonization and/or standardization of short walk-test protocols for assessing gait characteristics under supervised conditions. Methods For this cross-sectional study, 150 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 80.5 ± 4.5 years) were recruited. Participants performed eight walks differing in the distance (8-versus 4-m), static versus dynamic trials and comparing different test speed instructions (usual versus maximal) on an electronic walkway. Results A meaningful significant difference in mean usual gait speed was documented comparing the 4-m dynamic and static test protocol (0.12 m/s; p = 0.001). For the same comparison over an 8-m distance (dynamic versus static) and for the comparison between usual gait speed over 4-and 8-m, the differences in gait speed were smaller, but still statistically significant (p = 0.001). Conclusions Gait speed was faster, if the test protocol did not include a static start or stop. The differences were greater for a shorter walking distance. This aspect should be considered for the comparison of study results and is particularly relevant for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

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CIRCULATING INTERLEUKIN-6 IS ASSOCIATED WITH SKELETAL MUSCLE STRENGTH, QUALITY, AND FUNCTIONAL ADAPTATION WITH EXERCISE TRAINING IN MOBILITY-LIMITED OLDER ADULTS

Journal of Frailty & Aging ◽

10.14283/jfa.2019.30 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

G.J. Grosicki ◽

B.B. Barrett ◽

D.A. Englund ◽

C. Liu ◽

T.G. Travison ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Skeletal Muscle ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Interleukin 6 ◽

Gait Speed ◽

Muscle Size ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Specific Force ◽

Muscle Health ◽

Skeletal Muscle Strength

Background: Human aging is characterized by a chronic, low-grade inflammation suspected to contribute to reductions in skeletal muscle size, strength, and function. Inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), may play a role in the reduced skeletal muscle adaptive response seen in older individuals. Objectives: To investigate relationships between circulating IL-6, skeletal muscle health and exercise adaptation in mobility-limited older adults. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Exercise laboratory on the Health Sciences campus of an urban university. Participants: 99 mobility-limited (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) ≤9) older adults. Intervention: 6-month structured physical activity with or without a protein and vitamin D nutritional supplement. Measurements: Circulating IL-6, skeletal muscle size, composition (percent normal density muscle tissue), strength, power, and specific force (strength/CSA) as well as physical function (gait speed, stair climb time, SPPB-score) were measured pre- and post-intervention. Results: At baseline, Spearman’s correlations demonstrated an inverse relationship (P<0.05) between circulating IL-6 and thigh muscle composition (r = -0.201), strength (r = -0.311), power (r = -0.210), and specific force (r = -0.248), and positive association between IL-6 and stair climb time (r = 0.256; P<0.05). Although the training program did not affect circulating IL-6 levels (P=0.69), reductions in IL-6 were associated with gait speed improvements (r = -0.487; P<0.05) in “higher” IL-6 individuals (>1.36 pg/ml). Moreover, baseline IL-6 was inversely associated (P<0.05) with gains in appendicular lean mass and improvements in SPPB score (r = -0.211 and -0.237, respectively). Conclusions: These findings implicate age-related increases in circulating IL-6 as an important contributor to declines in skeletal muscle strength, quality, function, and training-mediated adaptation. Given the pervasive nature of inflammation among older adults, novel therapeutic strategies to reduce IL-6 as a means of preserving skeletal muscle health are enticing.

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