Loss of appendicular muscle mass and loss of muscle strength in young postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
Different factors may predict loss of appendicular muscle mass (LossAMM) and loss of muscle strength (LossMS). We investigated the relationship between LossAMM or LossMS and baseline anthropometric measures, lifestyle habits, hormones, lipid profiles, and inflammatory markers in 49 healthy postmenopausal women (54.1 +/- 4.3 years) in a 24-36-month prospective study.


METHODS
We measured parameters of lifestyle habits, anthropometry, lipid profiles, and blood levels of testosterone, estrone, estradiol, cortisol, dihydroepiandrostenedione, luteinizing hormone, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D, thyroxine, leptin, adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 and interleukin-2 receptors. Percentage of loss per year of isometric knee extensor strength defined LossMS, and percentage of loss of AMM per year (dual x-ray absorptiometry) defined LossAMM.


RESULTS
The means (standard deviation) for LossMS and LossAMM were 1.17%/y (2.03) and 0.60%/y (0.74) and did not correlate (r = -0.001; p =.99). LossMS correlated negatively with level of physical activity (r = -0.28), femoral BMD (r = -0.30), alcohol consumption (r = -0.30), and luteinizing hormone (r = -0.32) and positively with estrone (r = 0.29) and iPTH (r = 0.32) (each at p <.05). LossAMM correlated negatively with AMM (r = -0.41; p <.01). Stepwise regression analyses showed that LossMS was significantly predicted by baseline physical activity (beta = -0.39) with an explanation of variation of the model (R(2)) of 6%, body mass index (BMI) (-0.40; 3%), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-0.29; 3%), estrone (0.32; 6%), iPTH (0.27; 7%), and interleukin-2 receptor (0.32; 5%). LossAMM was predicted by baseline height (0.56; 47%), body mass index (1.04; 83%), AMM (-0.92; 76%), thyroxine (-0.33; 8%), estrone (-0.61; 30%), and dihydroepiandrostenedione (0.44; 28%).


CONCLUSIONS
LossMS and LossAMM in young postmenopausal women were not correlated with one another, and were determined by different factors.
Rolland
Yves M
YM
Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, St Louis VA Medical Center, St Louis, MO 63104, USA. yvesmrolland@yahoo.fr
Perry
Horace M
HM
Patrick
Ping
P
Banks
William A
WA
Morley
John E
JE
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood; D004970:Estrone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008019:Life Style; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D004970:Estrone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D013974:Thyroxine