Association Between Nephrolithiasis and the Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Chinese Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study...

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by loss of muscle mass and function. Nephrolithiasis represents a prevalent urological disorder that imposes a substantial burden on healthcare resources. However, the association between sarcopenia and nephrolithiasis remains poorly characterized.

A total of 2586 older adults were included in this cross-sectional study. We used the univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to assess the relationship between nephrolithiasis and sarcopenia. Additionally, stratified analyses and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential confounding factors.

The prevalence of sarcopenia in the present study was 7.2%. In Model 4, which integrated for all relevant covariates, nephrolithiasis was associated with approximately a 190% increased prevalence of sarcopenia compared to non-nephrolithiasis patients (OR: 2.912, 95% CI: 1.708-4.968, P <0.001). Following PSM, the results also confirmed the association between nephrolithiasis and sarcopenia (OR: 4.426, 95% CI: 1.547-12.661, P = 0.006). Notably, this association was more pronounced in subgroups including males (OR: 3.296, 95% CI: 1.436-7.564, P = 0.005), lower education level (OR: 8.127, 95% CI: 3.057-21.609, P <0.001), and diabetes (OR: 6.686, 95% CI: 2.626-17.027, P <0.001).

Our findings demonstrate that nephrolithiasis is positively related to the potential risk of sarcopenia in Chinese older adults. This finding indicates that nephrolithiasis may contribute to sarcopenia development, thereby emphasizing that prevention and intervention strategies for sarcopenia should account for the adverse effects of nephrolithiasis.