Using minimal clinically important differences to measure long-term transitions of osteosarcopenia: The New Mexico...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Metabolic Diseases
• Biostatistics

Background:

• Osteosarcopenia, characterized by bone and muscle loss, significantly impacts older adults' health.
• Understanding health transitions in osteosarcopenia is crucial for developing targeted interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the rationale and methodology of using minimal clinically important differences (MCID) for classifying osteosarcopenia transitions.
• To investigate the influence of demographic variables on these transitions over a 9-year period.

Main Methods:

• Transitions in bone mineral density (BMD), appendicular skeletal muscle mass/body mass index ratio (ASM/BMI), grip strength, and gait speed were identified using MCID scores.
• MCIDs for BMD and ASM/BMI were established using distribution-based and anchor-based methods.
• Poisson regression analyzed the effects of age, sex, physical activity, medication, and health status on transitions.

Main Results:

• Over 9 years, numerous transitions were observed: 2163 for BMD, 1689 for ASM/BMI, 2339 for grip strength, and 2151 for gait speed.
• Specific MCID-derived transition categories showed associations with sex, age, and health status.

Conclusions:

• MCID-derived transitions effectively capture the dynamic nature of health fluctuations in older adults.
• Future research should prioritize modifiable osteosarcopenia markers for designing effective intervention trials.