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Published on: July 5, 2017
No association between vascular aging and sarcopenia in healthy participants
Daniel Bunout1, Gladys Barrera1, Joselyn Arce1
1Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Insights
This study found no link between accelerated vascular aging and sarcopenia, suggesting the association may be coincidental. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between aging, vascular health, and muscle loss.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Musculoskeletal Health
Background:
- Vascular aging and sarcopenia are common conditions associated with aging.
- Previous reports suggest a link between vascular aging and sarcopenia.
- However, this association may be coincidental due to their shared aging process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if individuals with higher-than-expected vascular aging exhibit a greater frequency of sarcopenia.
- To determine if accelerated vascular aging is causally linked to sarcopenia.
Main Methods:
- Calculated predictive regression equations for pulse wave pressure and carotid intima media thickness based on age and blood pressure in 802 participants.
- Assessed body composition (DEXA), hand grip strength, muscle thickness, activity energy expenditure, and cardiorespiratory fitness in 161 participants.
- Compared muscle mass and function between individuals with higher or lower than expected vascular aging parameters.
Main Results:
- Age and blood pressure effectively predicted pulse wave velocity and carotid intima media thickness.
- No significant differences in sarcopenia frequency, muscle mass, or strength were found between groups with expected versus accelerated vascular aging.
- Sequential body composition analysis revealed no differences in muscle mass change over time related to vascular aging status.
Conclusions:
- This study did not find an association between vascular aging and sarcopenia.
- The observed link between vascular aging and sarcopenia in previous reports may be circumstantial.
- Further research is warranted to clarify the relationship between these aging-related conditions.
Background & Aims:
Several reports inform an association between vascular aging and sarcopenia. However, both conditions appear along with aging. Therefore, their association may be circumstantial and not casually linked. Our aim was to determine if individuals with higher-than-expected vascular aging have a higher frequency of sarcopenia.
Methods:
In 802 participants we calculated the association between pulse wave pressure and carotid intima media thickness and age and blood pressure, to derive predictive regression equations. In 161 of these participants we measured body composition by double beam X ray absorptiometry (DEXA), hand grip strength, rectus femoris thickness by ultrasound, activity energy expenditure by actigraphy and peak oxygen consumption and workload in an incremental exercise test. We calculated their expected values for pulse wave velocity and carotid intima media thickness and compared muscle mass and function between those with higher or lower than expected parameters. In 60 of these participants, we measured body composition sequentially to assess its change over time.
Results:
Age and blood pressure predicted the variance of pulse wave velocity and carotid intima media thickness with R2 values of 0.94-0.97 and 0.54 to 0.66, respectively. No differences in the frequency of sarcopenia and in muscle mass and strength were observed between participants with higher or lower than expected pulse wave velocity and carotid intima media thickness. In the group with sequential assessments, no differences in the change of muscle mass over time were observed in participants with and without accelerated vascular aging.
Conclusions:
We were not able to find an association between vascular aging and sarcopenia.
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