Relationships Between Serum Lipoprotein (a) And Sarcopenia In Elderly

Background: Examine the association of serum Lp(a) with sarcopenia in Chinese elderly.Methods: We conducted this study using 2015–2020 data from hospitalized Chinese people 60 years old and older. Total body fat percentage and appendicular skeletal muscle mass were assessed with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan. We classified the participants into four sarcopenia/obesity groups based on both total body fat percentage and appendicular skeletal muscle mass.Results: The analysis included data of 528 participants. the LP(a) level of sarcopenia was significantly higher than no sarcopenia, compared with obese or no obese groups. Furthermore, In the sarcopenic obesity group, the LP(a) level was highest. Correlation analysis showed that ASM/height2 was negatively correlated with LP(a). Logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was positively associated with LP(a).Conclusions: Our study shows that sarcopenia appeared to be significantly associated with Lp(a) no matter the subjects had obesity or not.

Relationship between Calf Circumference and Skeletal Muscle Index among Community-Dwelling Thai Elderly

Background: A strong association between calf circumference (CC) and skeletal muscle index (SMI) has been established worldwide in the elderly, however, these data in the Thai population are lacking. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between CC and SMI, as well as to identify the important predictors of SMI among the community-dwelling Thai elderly. Materials and Methods: The present study was an analytic cross-sectional study performed in 110 community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and older who lived in Sriracha, Chonburi, Thailand. Weight, height, and the maximum CC were measured in standing position. Body composition was measured using the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and the SMI was calculated as the appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) divided by the height squared (kg/m²). Pearson’s correlation was used to indicate the relationship between CC and SMI. Multiple linear regression was developed to predict SMI. Results: The prevalence of low muscle mass in men and women were 23.5% and 33.3%, respectively. CC had a positive correlation with SMI (r=0.75; p<0.001). The cut-off values for predicting low muscle mass using CC were 34.0 cm (sensitivity 85.5%, specificity 71.8%, AUC 0.895) in women, and 33.4 cm (sensitivity 75.0%, specificity 92.3%, AUC 0.925) in men. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed age, gender, weight, and CC as the key predictors for SMI with adjusted r² of the model equal to 0.80. CC and weight had a direct effect on SMI. On the other hand, age was inversely related to SMI. Women had lower SMI than men. Conclusion: CC was positively associated with SMI, and it could be used as a screening tool to identify the community-dwelling Thai elderly with low muscle mass in the field settings. Important predictors of SMI were age, gender, weight, and CC. Keywords: Calf circumference; Skeletal muscle index; Sarcopenia; Low muscle mass; Aging; Appendicular skeletal muscle mass

Influence of the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index on the bone mineral density of postmenopausal women

Background The appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) is an important risk indicator for osteoporosis because of the anatomical proximity and metabolic connection between muscle and bone mass. The present study investigated the relationship between ASMI and the bone mineral density (BMD) categories of postmenopausal women. Methods In this cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample, sociodemographic, lifestyle, menopause time, anthropometric, and physical activity variables were collected. ASMI and BMD were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Participants were grouped according to BMD values into normal density, osteopenia, and osteoporosis. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to verify the influence of ASMI on BMD. Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software, version 22. The significance level for all tests was set at 5%. Results Of the 114 women analyzed, most were between 60 and 69.9 years of age (62.3%), on menopause for ≤19.0 (51.8%), self-declared brown race/color (49.1%), had < 4 years of education (41.2%), never smoked (69.0%) or drank alcohol (62.8%). Of these, 52.6% were classified as sufficiently active and 52.2% had regular sun exposure. Women with osteoporosis were older (p = 0.035), on menopause for a longer time (p = 0.011), underweight (p = 0.004), had adequate waist circumference (p = 0.017), and low ASMI values (p = 0.002). There was an association between the 1st tertile of ASMI and osteoporosis. However, after adjustments for age, race/color, and body mass index, the strength of association between BMD and ASMI was not maintained. Conclusions ASMI was not associated with the BMD of the postmenopausal women evaluated. Total body and muscle mass, in addition to bone mass, should be monitored during menopause treatment. Longitudinal studies must be conducted to elucidate the mechanisms and gaps in this relationship.

Association of Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass and Central Obesity Parameters with Lipid Profiles in Older Women

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a common condition found in the elderly. The association between body compositions with the lipid profiles in the elderly as cardiovascular risk factors was still unclear. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the association appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) and central obesity parameters with lipid profile in older women. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Geriatric Outpatient Clinic, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, from January 2019 to February 2020. We collected patients’ medical records and analyzed the correlation between ASMM and central obesity parameters including truncal fat mass (TrFM) with lipid profile. RESULTS: A total of 61 subjects were included in the inclusion criteria in this study. The mean of body mass index (BMI) was 25.8 ± 4.5 with a normal BMI percentage of 44.2% and obesity of 16.4%. The mean of abdominal and calf circumference was 89 ±10 cm and 35 ± 4 cm, respectively. The mean of ASMM was 8.27 ± 1.29 kg/m2 and TrFM was 10.98 ± 3.92 kg/m2. We found a negative correlation between ASMM and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (r = –0.297, p = 0.01). TrFM was correlated with triglycerides (TG) (r = 0.339, p = 0.004). There was no significant relationship between calf circumference and abdominal circumference to lipid profile parameters. CONCLUSION: ASMM is negatively correlated with HDL, meanwhile, TrFM had a positive correlation with TG in older women as alertness of cardiovascular risk.

Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass Index and Physiological Performance in Post-Menopausal Women with Total Thyroidectomy

Sarcopenia is prevalent in postmenopausal women but is inconclusive in total thyroidectomy and under levothyroxine replacement. We aim to analyze the determinants of sarcopenia and investigate the early detection of sarcopenia in this group. Fifty postmenopausal women with total thyroidectomy were measured for body composition via Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and Appendicular Skeletal Muscle mass divided by the height square (ASM/ht2). Handgrip strength and gait speed and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) were calculated. Eight determinants associated with sarcopenia include GNRI (β, 0.042; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.021 to 0.064), femoral neck BMD (β, 0.989; 95% CI, 0.049 to 1.929), TSH (β, 0.192; 95% CI, 0.027 to 0.357), and thyroglobulin Ab (0.657; 95% CI, 0.210 to 1.103) for ASM/height2; menopausal years (β, −3.112; 95% CI, −5.661 to −0.563) and ASM/height2 (β, 2.669; 95% CI, 1.073 to 4.265) for handgrip strength; and GNRI (β, 0.062; 95% CI, 0.019 to 0.105), T3 (β, −3.541; 95% CI, −7.019 to −0.063), and age (β, 0.043; 95% CI, 0.003 to 0.084) for gait speed. Our study confirmed a high prevalence of low skeletal muscle mass index in postmenopausal women with total thyroidectomy and revealed a number of determinants that could help early diagnosis and management this disease in daily clinical practice.

Myostatin/Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Mass (ASM) Ratio, Not Myostatin, Is Associated with Low Handgrip Strength in Community-Dwelling Older Women

Background/Aims: Elevated levels of serum myostatin have been proposed as a biomarker for sarcopenia. Recent studies have shown that elevated level of serum myostatin was associated with physical fitness and performance. This study aimed to examine the significance of myostatin in the association between muscle mass and physical performance in the elderly. Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort study involving 1053 people aged 70 years or over. Anthropometric, physical performance, and laboratory data were collected. Results: The mean age of the participants was 75.8 years, and 50.7% of them were female. Serum myostatin levels in men (3.7 ± 1.2 vs. 3.2 ± 1.1 ng/mL, p < 0.001) were higher compared with that in women. Serum myostatin level was associated with appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) index and eGFR by cystatin C. Serum myostatin/ASM ratio was associated with handgrip strength in women. Conclusion: Higher serum myostatin levels were related with higher muscle mass and better physical performances in the elderly. Serum myostatin/ASM ratio may be a predictor for physical performance rather than myostatin.

Sex influences the association between appendicular skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD

Background: Sarcopenic obesity is regarded as a risk factor for the progression and development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Since male sex is a risk factor for NAFLD and skeletal muscle mass markedly varies between the sexes, we examined whether sex influences the association between appendicular skeletal muscle mass to visceral fat area ratio (SVR), i.e., an index of skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity, and the histological severity of NAFLD. Methods: SVR was measured by bioelectrical impedance in a cohort of 613(M/F=443/170) Chinese middle-aged individuals with biopsy-proven NAFLD. Multivariable logistic regression as well as subgroup analyses were used to test the association between SVR and the severity of NAFLD (i.e., nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) or NASH with presence of any stage of liver fibrosis). NASH was identified by a NAFLD activity score≥5, with a minimum score of 1 for each of its categories. Presence of fibrosis was classified as having a histological stage ≥1. Results: SVR was inversely associated with NASH in men (adjusted-odds ratio 0.62; 95%CI 0.42-0.92, P=0.017 for NASH, adjusted-odds ratio 0.65; 95%CI 0.43-0.99, P=0.043 for NASH with presence of fibrosis); but not in women 1.47 (0.76, 2.83), P=0.25 for NASH, and 1.45 (0.74, 2.83), P=0.28 for NASH with presence of fibrosis. There was a significant interaction for sex and SVR (P interaction =0.017 for NASH and P interaction =0.033 for NASH with presence of fibrosis). Conclusion: Our findings show that lower skeletal muscle mass combined with abdominal obesity is strongly associated with the presence of NASH only in men.