We studied the association of ACE and ACTN3 polymorphisms with skeletal muscle phenotypes (i. e. upper and lower body muscular strength and functional tests) in Spanish nonagenarian subjects [n=41, 33 women, 8 men, age: 90-97 years]. Mean values of the study phenotypes were not significantly different (all P>0.05) between ACE and ACTN3 genotypes. The analyses of the combined effects between genotypes ( ACE DD & ACTN3 RR/RX vs. ACE II/ID & ACTN3 XX) did not yield any significant difference. Our data suggest that, in the elderly, the influence of genetic factors on muscle phenotype traits is not reducible to a few single polymorphisms, including ACE and ACTN3 variants.
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