Long-term rates of change in musculoskeletal aging and body composition: findings from the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders are common among older people. Preventive strategies require understanding of age-related changes in strength, function and body composition, including how they interrelate. We have described, and examined associations between, 9-year changes in these parameters among 2917 Health, Aging and Body Composition Study participants (aged 70-79 years). Appendicular lean mass (ALM), whole body fat mass and total hip BMD were ascertained using DXA; muscle strength by grip dynamometry; and muscle function by gait speed. For each characteristic annualised percentage changes were calculated; measures of conditional change (independent of baseline) were derived and their interrelationships were examined using Pearson correlations; proportion of variance at 9-year follow-up explained by baseline level was estimated; and mean trajectories in relation to age were estimated using linear mixed models. Analyses were stratified by sex. Median [lower quartile, upper quartile] annual percentage declines were grip strength (1.5 [0.0, 2.9]), gait speed (2.0 [0.6, 3.7]), ALM (0.7 [0.1, 1.4]), fat mass (0.4 [− 1.1, 1.9]) and hip BMD (0.5 [0.0, 1.1]). Declines were linear for ALM and accelerated over time for other characteristics. Most conditional change measures were positively correlated, most strongly between ALM, fat mass and hip BMD (r > 0.28). Proportion of variation at follow-up explained by baseline was lower for grip strength and gait speed (39-52%) than other characteristics (69-86%). Strength and function declined more rapidly, and were less correlated between baseline and follow-up, than measures of body composition. Therefore, broader intervention strategies to prevent loss of strength and function in later life are required as those targeting body composition alone may be insufficient.

Relationships Between Level and Change in Sarcopenia and Other Body Composition Components and Adverse Health Outcomes: Findings from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study

“…Total kilocalories expended per week was calculated by multiplying the participant's weight (kg) by the sum of the caloric expenditure for all activities performed, as previously described [ 17 ]. As in previous analyses [ 18 , 19 ], the number of self-reported comorbidities (ever told by a doctor) was used as a marker of comorbidity out of the following: stroke, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attack or myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and hypertension. Cognitive function was measured using the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS) with scores ranging from 0 to 100 (higher scores indicate better function) [ 20 ]; scores were dichotomized for analysis; and participants with scores < 80 were regarded as having low cognitive function [ 21 ].…”

Epidemiologic characteristics of traumatic fractures in elderly patients during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 in China

“…Furthermore, in the context of Covid-19, the physical deterioration, prevalent comorbidities, and the potential psychological effects generally place the elderly population at increased risk of accidental events, including cerebrovascular disease (stroke and transient cerebral haemorrhage). In addition, there is an increased concern that the elderly might be at a higher risk of falls and related fractures, due to the more prevalent osteopenia and osteoporosis with aging [4,5]. These accidental events not only increase the consumption of medical resources that have been already scarce but also make the sustainers susceptible to or infected with COVID-19 via the way of transmission in the hospital.…”

Proton Pump Inhibitors Adversely Induce Selective Changes in the Bone Mineral Density Detected by Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in Postmenopausal Women

“…Baseline data showed that the age Group II patients were less than the corresponding value of Group I, indicating that the osteoporotic process is accelerated in Group II. Ageing is a signi icant risk factor for the decline in the BMD of the total hip (Westbury et al, 2020). The percentage of current smokers among Group II is signi icantly higher than the corresponding percentage of the Group I patients, indicating that smoking is a confounding risk factor of osteoporosis among Group II patients.…”