Relationship between fatty degeneration of thigh muscles and vitamin D status in the elderly: a preliminary MRI study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to study the relationship between fatty degeneration of thigh muscles and vitamin D status in elderly adults.


METHODS
For six months, 121 patients 65 years old or older were evaluated. Myopathy, muscular impairment, and conditions influencing vitamin D status other than diet and sunlight were exclusion criteria. Twenty patients (10 men and 10 women; mean age, 77.6 years) underwent MRI. Thigh muscles were scanned from the hip to the knee with T1- and T2-weighted spin-echo sequences. Skeletal muscles were evaluated for fatty degeneration and atrophy from grade 0 to 3 (grade 0 = normal appearance, grade 3 = severe changes). The relationship between muscular fatty degeneration, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels, and scores on Tinetti scales for balance and gait were examined.


RESULTS
In the evaluation of the extensor muscles for fatty degeneration and atrophy, grade 0 was present in three patients (15%), grade 1 in 11 (55%), and grade 2 in six (30%). In the flexor muscles, grade 0 was found in one patient (5%), grade 1 in five (25%), and grade 2 in 14 (70%); grade 3 changes were not seen. Muscular fatty degeneration negatively correlated with 25-OHD levels (r = -0.50, p < 0.01) and the Tinetti scores (balance: r = -0.40, p < 0.05; gait: r = -0.50, p < 0.05). In 11 vitamin D-deficient patients (55%), there was selective complete atrophy of at least one thigh muscle. The gracilis and sartorius muscles were spared.


CONCLUSIONS
In elderly adults, fatty degeneration of thigh muscles was associated with vitamin D deficiency and impaired balance and gait. Selective complete fatty degeneration of single muscles was observed.
Tagliafico
Alberto Stefano
AS
Department of Radiology, University of Genoa, Largo Rosanna Benzi 8, 16100 Genoa, Italy. atagliafico@sirm.org
Ameri
Pietro
P
Bovio
Marta
M
Puntoni
Matteo
M
Capaccio
Enrico
E
Murialdo
Giovanni
G
Martinoli
Carlo
C
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D004856:Postural Balance; D012984:Software; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013848:Thigh; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
D014807:Vitamin D