Association Between Sarcopenia and the Long-Term Risk of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Musculoskeletal Health
• Epidemiology of Age-Related Diseases

Background:

• Sarcopenia and intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) are common, impactful conditions in the elderly.
• The relationship between sarcopenia and IDD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if sarcopenia independently increases the risk of IDD in middle-aged and older adults.
• Utilizing prospective data from the UK Biobank for robust analysis.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 378,773 UK Biobank participants classified by European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2) criteria.
• Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were employed.
• Sensitivity analyses included subgroup and interaction tests to validate findings.

Main Results:

• Sarcopenia (probable and confirmed) was associated with a significantly increased risk of IDD after adjusting for covariates (HRs 1.35-1.41).
• The risk of IDD was notably higher in individuals with sarcopenia and BMI > 25 (HR: 1.88) compared to those with BMI ≤ 25 (HR: 1.51).
• A significant interaction between sarcopenia and BMI (>25) indicated a compounded risk for IDD.

Conclusions:

• Sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for developing intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD).
• Overweight and obese individuals with sarcopenia face a particularly elevated risk of IDD.
• Interventions promoting muscle health and physical activity may help prevent sarcopenia and delay IDD onset.