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Muscle matters: The relationship between skeletal muscle and cardiac muscle in older people-A Cross-Sectional
Merve Güner1, Sevda Aygün2, Serdar Ceylan1
1Division of Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
Reduced handgrip strength (HGS) in older adults is linked to lower left ventricular (LV) mass. This suggests a connection between muscle strength and heart health, warranting further investigation into cardiosarcopenia.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
- Muscle Physiology
Background:
- Cardiosarcopenia describes the decline in skeletal muscle mass and cardiovascular function.
- Understanding the link between muscle health and cardiac structure is crucial for aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare cardiac structure and function in older adults with low versus normal handgrip strength (HGS).
- To examine correlations between cardiac parameters and HGS, gait speed, and muscle mass.
Main Methods:
- 93 older adults without cardiovascular disease were studied.
- Muscle strength (HGS), mass (ultrasound), and cardiac structure (echocardiography, LV mass) were assessed.
Main Results:
- Individuals with low HGS had significantly lower left ventricular (LV) mass and posterior wall thickness.
- LV mass showed correlations with muscle mass and gait speed; LV diameter correlated with HGS and muscle measures.
Conclusions:
- Ventricular mass in older adults is associated with muscle mass, strength, and performance.
- Further longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the clinical impact of reduced LV mass in individuals with low HGS.
Background:
The term "cardiosarcopenia" has been proposed to describe the interrelated decline in both skeletal muscle mass and cardiovascular function. This study aimed to (1) compare cardiac structure and function between individuals with low and normal handgrip strength (HGS) and (2) examine the correlation between cardiac structure and function with HGS, gait speed, and muscle mass measured via muscle ultrasound (US).
Methods:
The study population comprised 93 older adults attending a geriatric outpatient clinic who reported no prior instances of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Muscle strength was evaluated using HGS. Muscle mass was assessed using US to measure the thickness of the gastrocnemius medialis (GCM-thickness), rectus femoris (RF-thickness), and anterior thigh (AT-thickness) muscles, as well as the cross-sectional area of the RF (RF-CSA). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed, and left ventricular (LV) mass was calculated using the Devereux formula.
Results:
LV mass was significantly lower in the low HGS group compared with the normal HGS group (153.27 [32.31] g vs 175.02 [61.46] g, P = 0.029). Additionally, the low HGS group had lower LV posterior wall thickness compared with the normal HGS group (P = 0.017). LV mass was weakly correlated with GCM-thickness and gait speed, and LV end-diastolic diameter had weak/moderate correlations with HGS, RF-CSA, RF-thickness, and AT-thickness.
Conclusion:
Ventricular mass in older adults significantly correlates with parameters of muscle mass, strength, and performance, which decline with age. To reveal the clinical effects of the reduced LV mass in patients with HGS further longitudinal studies are needed.
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