Low Muscle Strength and Mass Is Associated With the Accelerated Decline of Bone Microarchitecture at the Distal Radius in Older Men: the Prospective STRAMBO Study

Abstract

Low muscle mass and strength are associated with poor bone microarchitecture. We studied the association of muscle mass and strength with changes in bone microarchitecture of distal radius in 821 older men during an 8-year prospective follow-up. Bone microarchitecture was assessed by high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (XtremeCT-1, Scanco) at baseline, then after 4 and 8 years. Relative appendicular lean mass of the upper limbs (RALM-u.l.) was calculated as DXA-measured lean mass of upper limbs divided by (height) . Relative grip strength was calculated as grip strength divided by height. Decrease in bone mineral content (BMC), total volumetric bone mineral density (Tt.vBMD), cortical thickness (Ct.Th), cortical area (Ct.Ar) and cortical vBMD (Ct.vBMD) accelerated with age. Trabecular area (Tb.Ar) expansion and trabecular bone deterioration accelerated with age. Men in the first RALM-u.l. quartile had more rapid loss of BMC, Tt.vBMD, Ct.Th, Ct.vBMD and Ct.Ar vs. the highest quartile. They had more rapid increase in Tb.Ar. Men in the lowest quartile of grip strength had greater decrease in BMC, Tt.vBMD, Ct.Th, Ct.vBMD, Ct.Ar, and greater increase in Tb.Ar vs. the highest quartile. In the models including ALM-u.l. and grip strength (not corrected for height), both muscle-related variables were associated with more rapid bone microarchitectural deterioration (slightly more so for grip strength). Trabecular vBMD (Tb.vBMD) and Central.Tb.vBMD increased in men having higher muscle mass and strength. Trends in trabecular number and thickness did not differ across the groups in all the analyses. Thus, in men, aging-related deterioration of bone microarchitecture was most rapid after the age of 80. Low grip strength (and slightly more weakly low RALM-u.l.) is associated with the more rapid decrease in Tt.vBMD and cortical variables, and with greater Tb.Ar expansion. In conclusion, dynapenia and sarcopenia contribute to the deterioration of bone microarchitecture in older men. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Higher Hand Grip Strength Is Associated With Greater Radius Bone Size and Strength in Older Men and Women: The Framingham Osteoporosis Study

“…In a more recent investigation over 8 years of follow‐up in the STRAMBO cohort, men in the lowest quartile of baseline grip strength had accelerated declines in total vBMD, cortical vBMD, cortical thickness, and cortical area, as well as more rapid increases in trabecular area compared to higher grip strength quartiles. ( 32 ) Similar to our cross‐sectional findings, this longitudinal study found that grip strength was not associated with changes in measures of trabecular microarchitecture (thickness, number, separation), though the lack of association may be attributed to the limitations of how the endocortical surface is defined in longitudinal HR‐pQCT analyses leading to an incorrect characterization of trabecularization at the endocortical surface and subsequently biased estimates of changes in trabecular indices over time. ( 32 ) While we did not observe consistent associations with vBMD in our study, and neither total cross‐sectional area nor estimated bone strength were evaluated in the STRAMBO study, our results are in line with the longitudinal findings of a positive relation between grip strength and changes in cortical bone thickness.…”

Identification of Novel Genetic Variants Related to Trabecular Bone Score in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

“…Other studies showed that MAP2K5 is essential for the early stages of myogenesis [38][39][40]. As ERK5 and MAP2K5 modulate IGF-2 to regulate promyogenic activities, muscle atrophy by an impaired MAPK5/ERK5 pathway can cause impaired bone microarchitecture [39,41]. However, further studies are needed to confirm the association of rs11630730 with decreased expression of MAP2K5 in the bone or muscle.…”

Efficacy and safety of simple exercise interventions for men with osteoporosis – a prospective randomized controlled trial

“…Growing evidence supports the perception of sarcopenia and functional decline being critical factors of elevated fracture risk, commonly re ected in approaches to de ne a condition of osteosarcopenia (11,12). Current literature con rms that individuals with both conditions are at higher risk for decreased mobility, general health issues and increased mortality (8,13,14). In this context, functional decline and impaired mobility or dysmobility appear to be of particular clinical signi cance in aging men (15,16).…”