Muscle quality as a complementary prognostic tool in conjunction with sarcopenia assessment in younger and older individuals

Lees, Matthew J.; Wilson, Oliver J.; Hind, Karen; Ispoglou, Theocharis

doi:10.1007/s00421-019-04107-8

Muscle quality as a complementary prognostic tool in conjunction with sarcopenia assessment in younger and older individuals

Lees, Matthew J.; Wilson, Oliver J.; Hind, Karen; Ispoglou, Theocharis

Authors

Matthew J. Lees

Oliver J. Wilson

Karen Hind

Theocharis Ispoglou

Abstract

Purpose: This pilot study investigated differences in lean tissue mass, muscle strength, muscle quality (strength per unit of muscle mass; MQ), and functional performance in healthy younger and older individuals. The most robust predictors of appendicular lean mass (ALM) were then determined in each group. Methods: Fifty younger (18–45 years) and 50 older (60–80 years) participants completed tests of upper and lower body strength alongside body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry from which upper- and lower-body MQ were estimated. Available cut-points for older people were used to determine low upper-body MQ in both groups. Low lower-body MQ was determined as at least two standard deviations below the mean of the younger group. Functional performance was assessed by gait speed. Sarcopenia was identified using two established definitions. Results: Upper and lower body strength, ALM, lower-body MQ and gait speed were significantly higher in the younger group (all p < 0.002). Sarcopenia was identified in 2–4% of the older group. Low upper-body MQ was evident in 32% and 42% of the younger and older group, respectively. Low lower-body MQ was observed in 4% of younger participants, and 50% of older participants. In both groups, the most robust predictors of ALM were upper and lower body strength (young R2 = 0.74, 0.82; older R2 = 0.68, 0.72). Conclusions: Low MQ despite low prevalence rates of sarcopenia in both groups suggests a need for age-specific MQ cut-points. Muscle quality assessments might be useful complementary prognostic tools alongside existing sarcopenia definitions.

Citation

Lees, M. J., Wilson, O. J., Hind, K., & Ispoglou, T. (2019). Muscle quality as a complementary prognostic tool in conjunction with sarcopenia assessment in younger and older individuals. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 119, Article 1171. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04107-8

Journal Article Type	Article
Acceptance Date	Feb 20, 2019
Online Publication Date	Feb 26, 2019
Publication Date	2019
Deposit Date	Feb 20, 2019
Publicly Available Date	Mar 6, 2019
Journal	European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology
Print ISSN	1439-6319
Electronic ISSN	1439-6327
Publisher	Springer
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	119
Article Number	1171
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04107-8

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