Projects / Programmes
Validation of a new muscle quality marker for the diagnosis of sarcopenia
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.10.02 |
Social sciences |
Sport |
Kinesiology - medical aspect (orthopedy, physiatry etc.) |
| 3.08.00 |
Medical sciences |
Public health (occupational safety) |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 3.03 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Health sciences |
Ageing, Sarcopenia, Skeletal muscle, Muscle quality, Tensiomyography
Researchers (14)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
Sarcopenia is a progressive age-related disorder that affects skeletal muscles in general. Although the age is the most important factor, physical inactivity is the first mofifiable factor. It shows declines in both muscle mass and muscle function and is associated with an increased likelihood of adverse health outcomes. It requires on time and fast diagnosis, optimal care, as it is fast processing, rarely reversible condition with high personal, social and economic burdens when untreated. The original operational definition of sarcopenia was based solely on low muscle mass; however, in 2010 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) issued guidelines that classified sarcopenia based on three consecutive criteria (in that order): low muscle quantity; low muscle strength; and low muscle performance. In 2019 EWGSOP revised the guidelines for sarcopenia classification and recognised that muscle strength was recognised as a better predictor for adverse outcomes than muscle mass. Thus, the consecutive criteria were rearranged according to (in that order): low muscle strength; low muscle quantity and quality; low muscle performance. Important here is that EWGSOP in 2019 included muscle quality at the conformational level of sarcopenia. Muscle quality is a relatively new term, referring to both micro- and macroscopic changes in muscle architecture and composition and because of technical limitations muscle quality remain challenging as primary parameters to define sarcopenia. In parallel, at the International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research (2016) scientists issued a guideline stating “the need for standardized assessment of the muscle quality that should be based on changes in muscle (tissue) composition, on muscle fibre phenotype shifts, excessive levels of inter- and intra-muscular adipose tissue and intramyocellular lipids”. Furthermore, they emphasized “the need for methods that easily and rapidly assess muscle composition in multiple clinical settings and with minimal patient burden”. Our project group investigates extensively skeletal muscle mass, strength and quality adaptation (with underlying mechanisms) with ageing and/or disuse. We were first to demonstrate limited reversibility of disuse-related muscle deterioration in a group of aged adults, even though they had systematic and supervised recovery. Subsequently, we proposed, developed and validated a new Tensiomyographic (TMG) marker for detection of muscle atrophy, before it is evident in anatomical level. The very same parameter was applied also in a pilot sarcopenia study and a first publication demonstrated its sensitivity to sarcopenic muscles; however, with unclear relation to changes in muscle composition. Therefore, we are aiming to validate TMG-derived parameter as non-invasive and easy-to-use measure of muscle quality for the classification of sarcopenia. It remains to be seen which TMG parameter (or a combination) will be the most valid marker of muscle quality. Additionally, we will be the first to report important sarcopenic epidemiology data for whole Slovenia. We will randomly enrol 1000 >65-year olds (both sexes) from all 12 Slovenian regions through the invitation of regional health centres. We will assess their sarcopenia status based on temporary EWGSOP classification criteria and further invite 120 (50% men) participants, from where 40 non-sarcopenic, 40 sarcopenic and 40 severely sarcopenic. Those will be assessed in detail for intramuscular fat and connective tissue (MRI), muscle architecture (ultrasound), muscle mass (DEXA), strength (dynamometry), function (fitness tests), and TMG. A data and statistical processing will consist of correlation analysis between TMG-derived parameters and muscle composition data, general linear modelling for the sensitivity analysis of newly proposed TMG-derived parameter for muscle quality in three groups of sarcopenia, ROC analysis of cut-off values. Then we will report sarcopeni
