Relationships between serum angiogenesis markers and sarcopenia: a cross-sectional study
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Published on: March 21, 2021
Hui Li1, Huaqing Liu1, Yanjuan Liu1
1Department of Gastroenterology and General Surgery, Nanyang Central Hospital, Nanyang, Henan, China.
Background:
This study investigates the associations between serum angiogenesis markers (VEGF, ANGPT1, and ANGPT2) and sarcopenia in older adults.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study included 471 older individuals admitted to Nanyang Central Hospital from May 2019 to May 2024. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria, based on hand grip strength (HGS) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM). Serum levels of VEGF, ANGPT1, and ANGPT2 were measured, and statistical analyses included ROC curve analyses and logistic regression models to assess the relationships between angiogenesis markers and sarcopenia traits.
Results:
A total of 68 participants (14.44%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Significant decreases in VEGF and ANGPT1 levels were observed in the sarcopenia group compared to the normal cohort. Linear regression models showed that VEGF was positively correlated with HGS and ASM, while ANGPT1 was positively correlated with ASM. ROC curves indicated modest discriminatory ability for sarcopenia for both VEGF and ANGPT1. Logistic regression analysis revealed that low VEGF levels were associated with a higher risk of low HGS, low ASM, and sarcopenia, while low ANGPT1 levels were associated with increased risk of low ASM and sarcopenia (OR = 3.645, p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
VEGF and ANGPT1 are significantly associated with sarcopenia and may provide incremental value to standard clinical assessments. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms linking angiogenesis markers to sarcopenia.
