title: Community-dwelling female fallers have lower muscle density in their lower legs than non-fallers: evidence from the Saskatoon Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos) cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objectives were to determine whether peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT)-derived lower leg muscle density and area, and basic functional mobility differ between community-dwelling older women who do and do not report recent falls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Matched case-control comparison.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic biomedical imaging laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  147 Women, 60 years or older (mean age 74.3 y, SD 7.7) recruited from a longitudinal, population-based cohort representing community-dwelling residents in the area of Saskatoon, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional pQCT scan of the non-dominant lower leg was acquired to determine muscle density and area. Basic functional mobility (Timed Up and Go Test [TUG]) and SF36 health status were also measured. Fallers (one or more falls) and non-fallers (no falls) were grouped according to a 12-month retrospective survey and matched on measured covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The muscle density of fallers (n = 35) was a median of 2.1 mg/cm3 lower (P = 0.019, 95% C.I. -3.9 to -0.1) than non-fallers (n = 78) after matching and adjusting for age, body mass index, and SF36 general health scores. Muscle area and TUG did not differ between fallers and non-fallers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Muscle density may serve as a physiological marker in the assessment of lower leg muscular health and fall risk in community-dwelling elderly women. These results are limited to our study population who were mostly Caucasian. Prospective studies are required for verification.
authors.affiliation: A.W. Frank, M.Sc., College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, 87 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK. S7N5B2, Canada, Phone: +1 (306) 966-1123, Fax: +1 (306) 966-6464, E-mail: andrew.frank@usask.ca.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Farthing
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Chilibeck
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Olszynski
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kontulainen
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; D004856:Postural Balance; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012525:Saskatchewan