Higher uric acid serum levels are associated with better muscle function in the oldest old: Results from the Mugello Study.
BACKGROUND
Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with advancing age and plays a pivotal role in the causal pathway leading to frailty, disability and, eventually, to death among older persons. As oxidative damage of muscle proteins has been shown to be a relevant contributory factor, in this study we hypothesized that uric acid (UA), a powerful endogenous antioxidant, might exert a protective effect on muscle function in the oldest old and we tested our hypothesis in a group of nonagenarians who participated in the Mugello Study.


METHODS
239 subjects, 73 men and 166 women, mean age 92.8years±SD 3.1, underwent the assessment of UA serum level and isometric handgrip strength, a widely used clinical measure of sarcopenia.


RESULTS
Mean UA serum level was 5.69mg/dL±SD 1.70 and mean handgrip strength was 15.0kg±SD 6.9. After adjusting for relevant confounders, higher UA serum levels remained independent positive predictors of isometric handgrip strength (β 1.24±SE(β) 0.43, p=0.005).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that higher UA serum levels are associated with better muscle function in the oldest old and, accordingly, might slow down the progression of sarcopenia.
IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Via di Scandicci 269, 50143 Florence, Italy.
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Molino-Lova
IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Via di Scandicci 269, 50143 Florence, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla, 3, 50134 Florence, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.sofi@unifi.it.
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Sofi
IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Via di Scandicci 269, 50143 Florence, Italy.
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Pasquini
IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Via di Scandicci 269, 50143 Florence, Italy.
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F
Vannetti
Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Del Ry
Gabriele Monasterio Tuscany Foundation, CNR, Via Giuseppe Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Vassalle
IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Via Alfonso Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090, Segrate, Milan, Italy.
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Clerici
IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Via di Scandicci 269, 50143 Florence, Italy; Dept. Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Largo Brambilla, 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Sorbi
IRCCS Don Gnocchi Foundation, Via di Scandicci 269, 50143 Florence, Italy; Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla, 3, 50134 Florence, Italy.
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Macchi
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D055948:Sarcopenia / Q000097:blood*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D014527:Uric Acid
Antioxidants; Muscle strength; Oldest old; Sarcopenia; Uric acid