Method for controlled mitochondrial perturbation during phosphorus MRS in children
Melanie Cree-Green1, Bradley R Newcomer, Mark Brown
11Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO; 2Center for Women's Health Research, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO; 3Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; 4Department of Radiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO; and 5Department of Internal Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO.
Predicting muscle strength in children using calf muscle size improves mitochondrial assessments. This technique helps study insulin resistance and diabetes by ensuring reproducible muscle metabolic data.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric metabolic research
- Mitochondrial function assessment
- Noninvasive physiological measurement
Background:
- Insulin resistance is rising in children, potentially linked to muscle mitochondrial dysfunction.
- Assessing mitochondrial function in pediatric populations requires reliable techniques.
- Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (P-MRS) is a promising noninvasive method for mitochondrial assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a reliable method for assessing muscle mitochondrial function in children using P-MRS.
- To overcome challenges in measuring maximum volitional contraction (MVC) in pediatric subjects.
- To establish a predictive model for MVC using calf muscle cross-sectional area (MCSA).
Main Methods:
- Collected data from 66 sedentary participants aged 12-20 years.
- Measured plantarflexion MVC using an MRI-compatible device.
- Determined calf MCSA from magnetic resonance images.
- Developed and validated a model to predict MVC from MCSA.
Main Results:
- The predictive model for MVC showed strong agreement with measured MVC (P = 0.90).
- P-MRS results were consistent and showed expected metabolic changes when using predicted MVC.
- Identified participants with lower-than-predicted MVC who improved with coaching, demonstrating the model's utility.
Conclusions:
- Magnetic resonance imaging-based prediction of muscle strength offers a standardized P-MRS protocol for children.
- This approach addresses a key limitation in evaluating pediatric mitochondrial function.
- Findings are crucial for understanding mitochondrial roles in pediatric insulin resistance, diabetes, and treatment responses.
