Relationship between skeletal muscle mass and cardiac function during exercise in community‐dwelling older adults

Abstract

AimsThis study aimed to investigate the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and cardiac functional parameters in older adults during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).Methods and resultsSixty‐three Japanese community‐dwelling older adults were enrolled (20 men and 43 women; mean age 80 years, range 65–97 years). Cardiac functional parameters during exercise were assessed using CPET. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was calculated by dividing the appendicular lean mass (measured using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry) by height in metres squared. Subjects were divided into two groups: men with SMI ≥ 7.0 kg/m2 and women with SMI ≥ 5.4 kg/m2 (non‐sarcopenic group); or men with SMI < 7.0 kg/m2 and women with SMI < 5.4 kg/m2 (sarcopenic group). There were significant positive correlations between SMI and peak oxygen uptake (VO2) (r = 0.631, P < 0.001), and between SMI and peak VO2/heart rate (HR) (r = 0.683, P < 0.001). However, only peak VO2/HR significantly differed between groups in both sexes. Multiple linear regression analyses with peak VO2/HR as a dependent variable showed that SMI was the only independent determinant after adjusting for potential confounders. After 4 month follow‐up of 47 participants, there was still a significant positive correlation between SMI and peak VO2/HR (r = 0.567, P < 0.001), and between percent change of SMI and percent change of peak VO2/HR (r = 0.305, P < 0.05).ConclusionsPeak VO2/HR, an index of stroke volume at peak exercise, was associated with SMI. This indicates that skeletal muscle mass might affect cardiac function during exercise.

Relationship between hand grip strength and peak VO2 in community‐dwelling elderly outpatients

“…Similarly, our study showed that peak VO 2 /HR, which is also known as the index of stroke volume (SV) [11], is bi-directionally related to SMI [15]. Therefore, it seems reasonable that HGS would show a bi-directional relationship to the index of CO (=SV x HR) during exercise in this study.…”

Effect of Decreased Skeletal Muscle Index and Hand Grip Strength on Functional Recovery in Subacute Ambulatory Stroke Patients

“…Some studies have shown that decreased muscle mass and strength can influence function in several medical conditions. In community dwelling older adults, lower SMI was associated with cardiopulmonary functions [20]. In addition, there was a positive correlation between SMI and peak oxygen uptake [20].…”

“…In community dwelling older adults, lower SMI was associated with cardiopulmonary functions [20]. In addition, there was a positive correlation between SMI and peak oxygen uptake [20]. Another study has reported that the elderly with sarcopenia is over three times more likely to fall than non-sarcopenic individuals regardless of age, gender, or other confounding factors [21].…”

Peak exercise stroke volume effects on cognitive impairment in community‐dwelling people with preserved ejection fraction

“…Recently, a high prevalence of cognitive impairment was reported in patients with chronic HF (both HF with reduced and preserved EF). Interestingly, we found that peak VO 2 /HR is related to skeletal muscle mass index, which is an important factor in sarcopenia, and hypothesized that the decline of peak VO 2 /HR with decreased skeletal muscle mass in sarcopenia is a phenotype of HF with preserved EF . Therefore, multiple linear regression analysis to predict MoCA‐J score (cognitive impairment) showed that peak VO 2 /HR is a determinant factor after adjusting for potential confounders (including sarcopenia) among the community‐dwelling people with preserved EF (without HF).…”