Association between CT-Measured Abdominal Skeletal Muscle Mass and Pulmonary Function

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Gerontology
• Radiology

Background:

• Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass, is associated with reduced physical function.
• A potential link between sarcopenia and diminished lung function has been hypothesized.
• Abdominal skeletal muscle mass is an accessible indicator of overall muscle health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between lung function parameters and abdominal skeletal muscle mass.
• To quantify the relationship using computed tomography (CT) imaging and spirometry.
• To determine if abdominal muscle mass independently influences lung function.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of clinical records for 1907 adults undergoing health check-ups.
• Spirometry was used to measure forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1).
• Abdominal CT scans were analyzed to calculate the skeletal muscle index (SMI_CT) at the L3 vertebral level.

Main Results:

• Lung function metrics (FVC and FEV1) showed a significant positive trend with increasing SMI_CT quartiles.
• The prevalence of reduced lung function (FVC < 80% and FEV1 < 80%) decreased with higher SMI_CT.
• Adjusted regression analysis confirmed that SMI_CT independently and positively predicted FVC and FEV1.

Conclusions:

• Abdominal skeletal muscle mass, precisely measured by CT, is an independent determinant of lung function in relatively healthy adults.
• Higher abdominal muscle mass is proportionally associated with better lung function.
• These findings highlight the importance of maintaining muscle mass for respiratory health.