Association Between Lipid-Lowering Drug Use and Sarcopenia: Analysis of the Korea National Health and Nutrition...

Lipid-lowering drugs are known to cause various muscle-related side effects; however, it remains unclear whether their use contributes to reduced muscle mass and sarcopenia. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the use of lipid-lowering drugs and both muscle mass and the prevalence of sarcopenia.

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from 18,668 adults aged ≥20 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2011. Sarcopenia was defined based on appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The association between hyperlipidemia medication and the prevalence of sarcopenia was estimated using complex samples logistic regression.

Patients with hyperlipidemia exhibited lower ASM/wt than those without hyperlipidemia. After adjusting for potential confounders, including current lipid profiles, ASM/wt did not differ significantly between the general population and hyperlipidemic patients not receiving medication. However, individuals taking lipid-lowering drugs demonstrated significantly lower ASM/wt. This trend was mirrored in sarcopenia prevalence, with odds ratios of 2.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.95-4.28) in men and 1.68 (95% CI, 1.26-2.24) in women (p<0.01 for both). Notably, only participants on lipid-lowering drugs showed a progressive decline in ASM/wt and an increased risk of sarcopenia with longer duration of hyperlipidemia.

These results suggest that the use of lipid-lowering drugs may contribute to a decrease in muscle mass and a higher risk of sarcopenia. However, the generalizability of these results is limited, and further longitudinal studies are required to confirm the association.