Higher and Lower Muscle Echo Intensity in Elderly Individuals Is Distinguished by Muscle Size, Physical Performance and Daily Physical Activity

Yoshiko, Akito; Natsume, Yukie; Makino, Taeko; Hayashi, Takahiro; Umegaki, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Yasuko; Cheng, Xian Wu; Kuzuya, Masafumi; Ishida, Kōji; Koike, Teruhiko; Oshida, Yoshiharu; Akima, Hiroshi

doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.05.029

Cited by 22 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…contractile tissue, glycogen, intramuscular adipose tissue, fibrous tissue, collagen, and connective tissue content) (10,26,42,43), we observed that EI FULL was negatively correlated with MT, indicating that thicker VL muscles appear darker. These findings align with other studies reporting negative correlations between MT and EI (9,13,26,35,44,45). As unaccustomed bouts of resistance training often result in concurrent increases in muscle quality (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Ultrasonographic imaging of skeletal muscle has become an increasingly popular method of examining muscle morphological characteristics in response to exercise and nutritional interventions, muscle damage, edema, aging, and disease (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9). While quantification of muscle size and architecture are common in several investigations, recent focus has been given to the examination of muscle echo intensity (EI).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of muscle depth and thickness on ultrasound echo intensity of the vastus lateralis

et al. 2020

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Background Ultrasonography is used to evaluate muscle quality (i.e. echo intensity [EI]), but an attenuation of ultrasound waves occurs in deeper tissues, potentially affecting these measures. Purpose To determine whether muscle thickness (MT) affects EI and if EI varies between the superficial and deep portions of the muscle. Materials and Methods MT, EI, subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (SAT), tissue depth (DISDEEP), and EI of the overall (EIFULL) as well as deep (EIDEEP) and superficial (EISUPF) portions of the vastus lateralis (VL) were assessed in 33 resistance-trained males using ultrasonography. The difference (EIDIFF) between EISUPF and EIDEEP was calculated. Mean differences between EIFULL, EISUPF, and EIDEEP were analyzed using a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Relationships between measures of muscle depth/ thickness and EI were examined using Pearson’s r. Results EISUPF was greater than EIDEEP ( P < 0.001) and EIFULL ( P < 0.001). MT was negatively correlated with EIFULL ( P < 0.001) and positively correlated with EIDIFF ( P < 0.001). SAT was not correlated with any EI measure, but DISDEEP was positively correlated with EIDIFF ( P < 0.001). Conclusion EI of the VL is heterogeneous, as the deeper portion produces lower values than the superficial portion. Thicker muscles present lower EI but have greater discrepancies in EI between the superficial and deep portions. Although SAT was not correlated with EI, DISDEEP was related to EIDIFF, demonstrating that the combination of MT and SAT should be considered when evaluating muscle quality. Future research is necessary to determine if changes in EI following resistance training are driven by increases in MT.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of muscle depth and thickness on ultrasound echo intensity of the vastus lateralis

et al. 2020

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“…In addition, it has been reported that increased intramuscular fat composition in skeletal muscle impairs the force-generating capacity in a single muscle fiber [29,30]. The ratio of adipose tissues in skeletal muscle is reported to be determined by muscle size and physical activity [31]. In addition, increasing physical activity has been found to exert a positive effect on the decreased ratio of adipose tissues [32], which could eventually contribute to the improvement of gait independence after hemiparetic stroke.…”

Section: Relationships Of Quadriceps Mt and Ei Of The Paretic Limb Wimentioning

confidence: 99%

Quadriceps Thickness and Echo Intensity Predict Gait Independence in Individuals with Severe and Mild Hemiparetic Stroke

Maeda

Imada²,

Ishida

et al. 2020

Eur Neurol

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Introduction: Smaller muscle size and higher adipose tissue ratio of the quadriceps femoris are often observed after stroke. However, it is unclear whether muscle size and the intramuscular fat ratio of the quadriceps measured with ultrasonography (US) reflect gait independence in individuals with mild or severe hemiparetic stroke. Objective: The present study was performed to examine the relationships of gait independence with muscle thickness (MT) and echo intensity (EI) of the quadriceps femoris in individuals with hemiparesis after stroke. Methods: We examined 43 individuals with hemiparetic stroke. We assessed functional independence measure (FIM) gait scores and measured thickness and EI of the quadriceps using US. The relationships of FIM gait scores with MT and EI were examined using Spearman’s correlation coefficients in mild (n = 21) and severe (n = 22) hemiparetic stroke groups. Results: In the mild hemiparetic group, FIM gait scores were correlated with paretic limb MT (rho = 0.60, p < 0.01) and EI (rho = −0.57, p < 0.01). In the severe hemiparetic group, FIM gait scores were correlated with paretic limb MT (rho = 0.67, p < 0.01) and EI (rho = −0.43, p < 0.05), as well as non-paretic limb MT (rho = 0.86, p < 0.01) and EI (rho = −0.56, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Quadriceps thickness and EI were associated with the degree of gait independence. Atrophy and increased intramuscular fat of the quadriceps may be limiting factors for achieving gait independence.

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“…Decrease in average EI was demonstrated to be an indicator of muscle quality in several months of rehabilitation exercise (Table 2 ). Muscle quality has been demonstrated to worsen with aging [ 22 ], and lower muscle quality in the thigh (determined by a higher EI) indicated lower force and torque generation [ 8 , 9 ] and lower locomotive function [ 23 ]. Many studies investigated the effect of continuous exercise on muscle quality in older individuals to improve muscle quality, and they reported that average muscle EI decreased after the resistance exercise [ 10 , 11 ], concurrent resistance and endurance exercise [ 14 ], walking [ 12 ], and multiple rehabilitation exercise [ 13 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of rehabilitation exercise effects by using gradation-based skeletal muscle echo intensity in older individuals: a one-group before-and-after trial study

et al. 2021

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Background Higher muscle echo intensity (EI) reflects higher content of fat and/or connective tissue within skeletal muscle, eventually inducing lower muscle strength, physical dysfunction, and metabolic impairment. Continuous exercise decreases muscle EI in older individuals; however, it is not well understood how several months’ rehabilitation exercise affects gradation-based EI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 6 months of rehabilitation exercise on gradation-based higher and lower EI in older men and women. Methods Twenty-seven men and women (7 men, 20 women; age, 75.6 ± 6.4 years; height, 154.3 ± 8.5 cm; weight, 55.8 ± 9.7 kg) participated in this study. This study was a one-group before-and-after trial. They needed long-term care for activities of daily living. They performed rehabilitation exercises consisting of resistance exercises using a hydraulic resistance machine, stretching, and aerobic exercises using a recumbent bicycle once or twice a week for 6 months. B-mode ultrasonographic transverse image was taken from thigh muscles, e.g., rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and biceps femoris. We calculated gradation-based cross-sectional area (CSA) from thigh muscles by dividing 256 greyscale level to 10 different components levels (e.g., 0–24, 25–49, 50–74, …, 200–224 and 225–249 a.u.). Results Lowest EI (e.g., 0–24 a.u.) CSA of thigh muscle was significantly increased after the exercise (0.3 ± 0.3 to 1.0 ± 0.8 cm2; P < 0.05). Middle to higher EI (e.g., 50–74, 75–99, 100–124, 125–149, 150–174, 175–199 and 200–224 a.u.) CSAs were significantly decreased from 23.0 to 68.7% after the exercise (P < 0.05). Conclusions Several months’ rehabilitation exercise affected both lower and higher EI in older men and women. This result suggests that rehabilitation exercise changes muscle composition by increasing contractile muscle tissue and decreasing fat and connective tissues.

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Higher and Lower Muscle Echo Intensity in Elderly Individuals Is Distinguished by Muscle Size, Physical Performance and Daily Physical Activity

Cited by 22 publications

References 41 publications

Influence of muscle depth and thickness on ultrasound echo intensity of the vastus lateralis

Influence of muscle depth and thickness on ultrasound echo intensity of the vastus lateralis

Quadriceps Thickness and Echo Intensity Predict Gait Independence in Individuals with Severe and Mild Hemiparetic Stroke

Evaluation of rehabilitation exercise effects by using gradation-based skeletal muscle echo intensity in older individuals: a one-group before-and-after trial study

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