Association Between High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels and Sarcopenia in Elderly Koreans

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Metabolic Health
• Muscle Physiology

Background:

• High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) plays a role in muscle energy metabolism.
• Previous research on HDL-C and sarcopenia in older adults has yielded conflicting results.
• The relationship between HDL-C and sarcopenia in elderly Koreans requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between HDL-C levels and sarcopenia in elderly Korean individuals.
• To determine if higher HDL-C levels are linked to an increased risk of sarcopenia.
• To analyze sarcopenia prevalence across different HDL-C level quartiles.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing anonymous health checkup data from 3776 Koreans aged 65 and older.
• Sarcopenia defined by appendicular skeletal muscle index thresholds for males and females.
• Logistic regression and multivariable analyses performed, stratifying participants into HDL-C quartiles.

Main Results:

• Sarcopenia was diagnosed in 23.1% of the study participants.
• A significant increasing trend in sarcopenia prevalence was observed from the lowest to the highest HDL-C quartile (p < 0.001).
• Higher HDL-C levels (Q4) were significantly associated with sarcopenia after adjusting for risk factors (OR 1.36, p = 0.018).

Conclusions:

• In elderly Koreans (≥65 years), higher HDL-C levels are associated with sarcopenia.
• This finding suggests a potential link between elevated HDL-C and muscle loss in older adults.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this association.