Comparisons of Muscle Quality and Muscle Growth Factor Between Sarcopenic and Non-Sarcopenic Older Women

Abstract

Sarcopenia, an age-related disease, is one of the important health problems in the elderly and the prevalence of sarcopenia is rapidly increased among the Korean population. This study examined the muscle quality and muscle growth factors of elderly women to identify the potential diagnostic tool for sarcopenia. One hundred and thirty-six elderly women, aged over 65 years old, initially enrolled, but only 59 participants who met the criteria (sarcopenic group, n = 27; non-sarcopenic group, n = 32) completed the study. Muscle quality assessment included thigh cross-sectional computed tomography scan and maximal isometric muscle strength. Muscle growth factors such as GDF-15, myostatin, activin A, and follistatin were analyzed, and a battery of Senior Fitness Test was used to examine functional fitness. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. Elderly women with sarcopenia had a lower thigh muscle volume (−20.1%), and a higher thigh intermuscular adipose tissue (15.8%) than those of the non-sarcopenic group (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences in muscle growth factors were observed between the groups. Muscle quality variables including maximal voluntary isometric contraction (OR: 0.968, p < 0.001), relative maximal voluntary isometric contraction (OR: 0.989, p < 0.05), thigh muscle volume (OR: 0.836, p < 0.001), and thigh intermuscular adipose tissue (OR: 1.138, p < 0.05) were associated with a risk of sarcopenia. Our findings suggest that the sarcopenic group exhibits a poor thigh muscle quality in comparison with the non-sarcopenic group. Muscle quality assessment can be utilized for sarcopenia identification, but our study remains inconclusive for the causality of muscle growth factors in sarcopenia.

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

“…The exact roles of serum myostatin as a biomarker of sarcopenia and its relationship with sarcopenia components (muscle mass and physical function) are uncertain, especially in the community-dwelling elderly. Seo et al [ 13 ] revealed that myostatin was not associated with sarcopenia among 59 elderly female participants. In addition, myostatin levels may reflect skeletal muscle mass, though it functions as suppressing the growth of skeletal muscle.…”

Sarcopenia, Exercise and Quality of Life

“…This translates into an increased risk of poor quality of life, physical disability, frequent falls and weakness, and death. In this sense, four manuscripts [ 3 , 8 , 9 , 11 ] in this special issue, corresponding to 33.3% of the total, corroborate that muscle loss is the typical consequence of all older adults. The study by Patiño-Villada et al [ 8 ] considers the combination of high muscle mass and shallow fat mass a highly healthy variety.…”

“…This special edition of the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ( IJERPH ) has brought together eleven research manuscripts [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ] and a brief report [ 12 ]. This special issue, entitled “ Sarcopenia, Exercise and Quality of Life ” gathered 12 manuscripts [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]; four (33.3%) manuscripts are related to the impact of physical activity concerning sarcopenia [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 10 ]. Two manuscripts were used for the Wii Fit ® games as an intervention tool for physical activity in institutionalized elderly patients [ 4 , 6 ].…”

“…This positions ALM as a priority clinical measure of sarcopenia over muscle mass or osteoporosis [ 8 ]. However, Myong-Wu et al [ 9 ] reported muscle quality as the identifying marker of the sarcopenic patient. These authors, using sectional computed tomography scans on 59 elderly women (>65 years), indicate that muscle quality is the crucial element in the confirmatory diagnosis of an older adult patient with sarcopenia.…”

“…The twelve manuscripts [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ] published in this Special Issue “ Sarcopenia, Exercise and Quality of Life ” highlight non-pharmacological interventions based on therapeutic physical exercise, with instruments and activities adapted to the older adult population. New diagnostic techniques for sarcopenia are reflected to successfully identify the sarcopenic elderly, and modern descriptors of sarcopenia based on different body composition measurements are established.…”