A pooled analysis of the association between sarcopenia and osteoporosis

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenia is a progressive generalized skeletal muscle disorder that causes the accelerated loss of muscle mass and function. Osteoporosis is a systemic condition of the skeleton that results in low bone mass and quality. Several studies have suggested that osteoporosis and sarcopenia are interrelated; however, a few studies indicate the lack of a significant association between sarcopenia and osteoporosis. We aimed to evaluate the association between sarcopenia and osteoporosis via a systematic review and pooled analysis.Methods: From the inception of the PubMed and Embase databases until September 2022, we conducted a systematic search for studies evaluating the relationship between sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: We included observational studies that provided 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and risk estimates. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the quality of the research. The random-effects model was applied to the pool analysis, and the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs were finally calculated.Results: The primary statistic was the mutual risk between sarcopenia and osteoporosis. According to the inclusion criteria, 56 studies (796,914 participants) were finally included. Sarcopenia was significantly correlative to the risk of osteoporosis (OR, 3.06; 95% CI, 2.30-4.08), and each standard deviation increase in relative appendicular skeletal muscle mass was significantly related to a decreased risk of osteoporosis (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.56-0.75). Osteoporosis observably referred to a higher risk of sarcopenia (OR, 2.63; 95% CI, 1.98-3.49). Conclusion:Our research indicated that sarcopenia and osteoporosis are highly positively correlated. Osteoporosis is closely associated with the risk of sarcopenia. Our finding highlights the importance of sarcopenia screening for those at risk of osteoporosis, and vice versa. However, heterogeneity was noted among the studies, and this might have influenced the accuracy of the results. Therefore, the results of our study should be interpreted with caution.

Association Between Advanced Glycation End Products and Sarcopenia: The Mediating Role of Osteoporosis

“…On the other hand, the diagnosis of sarcopenia may vary due to the use of different cutoff values for grip strength and walking speed, potentially leading to differences in the prevalence of sarcopenia. To our knowledge, findings from various studies ( 18 , 53 ), including a meta-analysis ( 54 ), suggest that sarcopenia represents a risk factor for osteoporosis. Therefore, we believe that there is a bidirectional relationship between sarcopenia and osteoporosis.…”

“…Previous studies have identified AGEs and osteoporosis as independent risk factors for sarcopenia and a bidirectional relationship between osteoporosis and sarcopenia ( 11 , 18 , 19 , 53 , 54 ). However, the specific mechanism by which AGEs affect sarcopenia through osteoporosis and how sarcopenia affects osteoporosis remain unclear.…”

Sarcopenia and osteosarcopenia among patients undergoing hemodialysis

“…A systematic analysis of 38 studies including 224,321 participants suggested that sarcopenia increased the risk of osteoporosis by 3.06 times. In addition, this systematic analysis also included 7 trials involving 171,514 participants revealed that each standard deviation (SD) increase in relative appendicular skeletal muscle mass (RASM) was associated with a significant 35% reduction in osteoporosis risk ( 50 ). Ahn et al.…”

Frailty syndrome in women with osteoporosis, should physicians consider screening? A cross-sectional study

“…Sarcopenia is a condition of the muscles characterized by a loss of muscle mass and strength ( Vogele et al, 2023 ). This condition is linked to osteoporosis for multiple reasons, including the same risk factors, similar etiological pathways, endocrine basis, and the phenomenon of bidirectional bone-muscle crosstalk ( Yu et al, 2022 ; He et al, 2020 ). Sarcopenia is also associated with frailty syndrome.…”