Arterial stiffness is associated with low skeletal muscle mass in Japanese community-dwelling older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether arterial stiffness, measured by the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), is associated with skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in Japanese community-dwelling older adults.


METHODS
Data were collected from 175 participants through questionnaires and specific tests; the data included demographic, lifestyle and health characteristics, body mass index (BMI), and body composition features determined by the bioelectrical impedance analysis, ankle-brachial index, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, handgrip strength (GS), walking speed and shuttle walking tests (SW), and arterial stiffness determined by the CAVI. Absolute SMI was dichotomized according to the first quintile, which determined low (n = 35) and normal (n = 140) SMI.


RESULTS
Participants with low SMI were older (P = 0.01), had more polypharmacy (P = 0.01), a lower BMI (P < 0.001), and fat mass index (P = 0.02), and had a greater risk of malnutrition (P < 0.001) than the normal group. Additionally, they showed poorer physical performance (GS and SW, P = 0.007 and 0.01, respectively) than the normal group. Furthermore, CAVI was associated with SMI even after adjustments (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.14-2.90, P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data showed that arterial stiffness is associated with low SMI in community-dwelling older adults, even when adjusting by multiple factors, showing a close interaction of vascular aging and muscle mass decline.
Department of Human Health Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Ricardo Aurélio Carvalho
RA
Sampaio
Priscila Yukari
PY
Sewo Sampaio
Minoru
M
Yamada
Taiki
T
Yukutake
Marco Carlos
MC
Uchida
Tadao
T
Tsuboyama
Hidenori
H
Arai
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D015995:Prevalence; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*
arterial stiffness; cardio-ankle vascular index; older adults; sarcopenia; skeletal muscle mass