Association between sarcopenia and mortality in patients with osteoarthritis

Sarcopenia and osteoarthritis (OA) frequently coexist, yet the correlation of sarcopenia with mortality specifically within the OA population remains unclear. We intend to shed light on the correlation of sarcopenia and all-cause/cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in OA patients.

We included 1301 OA individuals from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018. Sarcopenia was determined utilizing appendicular skeletal muscle mass from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and body mass index. All-cause and CVD mortality were confirmed by connection with the national death index until December 31, 2019. Survival probabilities were evaluated via log-rank test, and the linkage of sarcopenia and mortality was evaluated by multivariable Cox regression.

Among the 1301 participants, 240 (18.4%) have been diagnosed with sarcopenia. Survival analysis demonstrated significantly reduced survival probabilities for individuals with sarcopenia compared to those without (log-rank P < 0.001). In the fully adjusted Cox models, sarcopenia was connected to higher all-cause mortality (HR = 1.880, 95% CI 1.387-2.548) and CVD mortality (HR = 1.942, 95% CI 1.054-3.578).

Elevated all-cause and CVD mortality correlate with sarcopenia in patients with OA. Sarcopenia screening potentially facilitates a more thorough evaluation of survival for this population. Future research should clarify how dynamic transitions in sarcopenia status relate to survival outcomes over time. Key Points • Sarcopenia is associated with elevated all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in patients with osteoarthritis. • Identifying sarcopenia may provide valid prognostic information for the osteoarthritis population.