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Allergic Phenotypes and Sarcopenia: Evidence from Observational Studies and Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Zhenwei Tang1,2,3, Guowei Zhou1,2, Yi Xiao1,2,4
1Department of Dermatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 110 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China.
Phenomics (Cham, Switzerland)
|April 12, 2024
Summary
Allergic conditions like atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma, along with high eosinophil counts (EC), are linked to increased risk of sarcopenia, particularly reduced muscle mass. This highlights the importance of monitoring muscle health in allergic individuals.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Immunology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Allergic phenotypes such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and asthma are common in early life but their long-term health impacts, especially on aging, are under-researched.
- Sarcopenia, a geriatric syndrome characterized by progressive muscle loss, poses significant health risks in older populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between allergic phenotypes (AD, asthma, eosinophil count) and sarcopenia.
- To explore the potential causal relationship between these allergic conditions and sarcopenia development using Mendelian randomization.
Main Methods:
- Observational studies utilizing UK Biobank (UKB) and China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) datasets.
- Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis employing genome-wide association study (GWAS) data.
- Statistical models including logistic regression and inverse-variance weighted methods with MR-PRESSO for pleiotropy assessment.
Main Results:
- Positive correlations were observed between AD, asthma, eosinophil count (EC), and indicators of sarcopenia (pre-sarcopenia, reduced skeletal muscle index, decreased hand grip strength) in the UKB cohort.
- Asthma showed a significant association with sarcopenia in the CHARLS cohort, increasing pre-sarcopenia risk by over 100%.
- Mendelian randomization indicated causal effects of asthma and EC on pre-sarcopenia, and EC, AD, and asthma on reduced appendicular lean mass (ALM).
Conclusions:
- Allergic phenotypes, including AD, asthma, and elevated EC, contribute to sarcopenia, primarily through decreased ALM.
- These findings underscore the need for increased awareness and proactive management of muscle health in individuals with allergic conditions to prevent age-related disorders.
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