Normative data for age-specific skeletal muscle area based on computed tomography in Korean population

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Radiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Sarcopenia, a decline in muscle mass and function, poses significant health risks for aging populations.
• Limited age- and sex-specific reference values for skeletal muscle assessment hinder sarcopenia diagnosis.
• Computed tomography (CT) at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) is a key method for evaluating skeletal muscle area (SMA) and indices (SMIs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative, age- and sex-specific CT-based reference values for SMA and SMIs in Korean adults.
• To facilitate more accurate and earlier diagnosis of sarcopenia in the Korean population.
• To investigate the utility of different indices for sarcopenia classification.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of abdominal CT scans from 2637 healthy Korean adults (aged 20+).
• Measurement of SMA and SMIs at the L3 vertebral level.
• Calculation of T-scores against a young reference group (20-39 years) and classification of sarcopenia into Classes I and II.

Main Results:

• Significant age-related decline in SMA observed in both men and women, more pronounced in men.
• Sarcopenia prevalence varied by index: higher with SMA index in men, higher sensitivity with SMA/BMI in women.
• Class I sarcopenia prevalence ranged from 10.1% to 23.6%, and Class II from 1.0% to 8.3% across sexes.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully established CT-based reference values for SMA and SMIs in Korean adults.
• The SMA/BMI index demonstrated utility for sarcopenia detection in both sexes.
• These reference values support improved early detection and management of sarcopenia.