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Muscle mass reduction, low muscle strength, and their combination are associated with arterial stiffness in community-dwelling elderly population: the Wakayama Study

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 35, pages 446–454 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is associated with some predisposing factors that increase the risk of vascular damage. This study aimed to examine whether muscle mass reduction, low muscle strength, and their combination were related to arterial stiffness in community-dwelling elderly population. Study participants consisted of 1046 elderly individuals (aged 72 ± 5 years) without cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or liver disease. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed to estimate appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM). A value for ASM was normalized for height (ASM index, kg/m2). Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured using a Smedley grip dynamometer. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was evaluated as an index of arterial stiffness using a simple automatic oscillometric technique. When participants were stratified based on baPWV cut-off values (< 1800 cm/s, 1800 to 1999 cm/s, ≥ 2000 cm/s), ASM index and HGS progressively decreased with an increase in baPWV levels (P for trend < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, baPWV was significantly associated with ASM index (β = −0.270, P < 0.001) and HGS (β = −0.102, P < 0.001) independent of potential confounding factors. The baPWV of the subgroup with low ASM index and low HGS was significantly higher than that of those with only low ASM index or low HGS (P < 0.001). These results suggest that loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is associated with increased arterial stiffness in the elderly population, and the combination of muscle mass reduction and low muscle strength may lead to greater arterial stiffness than each of the individual conditions.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Comparisons of baPWV in the study participants according to sarcopenic status.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Health and Nursing Science, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan

    Yan Zhang, Nobuyuki Miyai, Kaori Abe, Miyoko Utsumi & Yuji Uematsu

  2. Faculty of Budo and Sport Studies, Tenri University, Nara, Japan

    Kazufumi Terada & Toshiaki Nakatani

  3. Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan

    Tatsuya Takeshita

  4. Sumiya Rehabilitation Hospital, Wakayama, Japan

    Mikio Arita

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  1. Yan Zhang
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Zhang, Y., Miyai, N., Abe, K. et al. Muscle mass reduction, low muscle strength, and their combination are associated with arterial stiffness in community-dwelling elderly population: the Wakayama Study. J Hum Hypertens 35, 446–454 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41371-020-0355-z

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