Growth Differentiation Factor 15 and Physical Function Impairment in the SardiNIA Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Biomarkers
• Sarcopenia Research

Background:

• Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and function, impacts physical performance.
• Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) is an aging biomarker linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and physical impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) and physical function in an aging cohort.
• To determine if GDF-15 levels correlate with hand grip strength and gait speed.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the SardiNIA longitudinal aging study cohort.
• Assessed hand grip strength, gait speed, and serum GDF-15 levels in 4842 participants.
• Employed linear multivariate regression analysis, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

• GDF-15 levels showed a strong positive association with age (rho=0.617, p<0.001).
• GDF-15 was significantly negatively associated with gait speed (Beta=-0.09) and hand grip strength (Beta=-0.07, -0.08) in both hands (p<0.001).
• No significant difference in GDF-15 levels was observed between males and females.

Conclusions:

• Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) is negatively associated with physical function in aging individuals.
• GDF-15 may serve as a biomarker for reduced physical performance and sarcopenia.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the pathogenic role of GDF-15 in age-related muscle loss.