Bioimpedance analysis as an indicator of muscle mass and strength in a group of elderly subjects

Abstract

Objective: To assess the association between whole-body and calf impedance vectors and muscle mass and strength in a group of elderly individuals.

Material and methods: We carried out a cross-sectional observational study on a sample of 113 elderly people. Anthropometric parameters (weight, height and body circumferences) were determined. Body composition was evaluated using conventional bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and vector bioimpedance analysis (BIVA) (whole-body and calf BIVAs), and muscle strength was determined (manual dynamometry). The results were analyzed using the Student t-test or the Mann-Whitney U, and the correlations using the Pearson or Spearman test. To compare BIVA results among the subgroups established, the Mahalanobis distance (dM) was calculated and the Hotelling T² statistic was used. Statistical significance was set to p < 0.05.

Results: Nearly half the sample was overweight. Based on waist circumference, 66.7% of the males and 94.9% of the females showed risk of metabolic complications; calf circumference indicated no risk of disability or skeletal muscle mass depletion. However, BIA and dynamometry detected risk of sarcopenia in more than half the subjects. Whole-body BIVA results agreed with those of the BIA, given that most impedance vectors in both sexes were to the right of major axis of the tolerance ellipses. This shows cell mass depletion. While the whole-body BIVA distinguished the subjects having loss of muscle mass and strength, the specific BIVA (calf) only did so in individuals with muscle mass loss.

Conclusions: Whole-body BIVA detects loss of muscle mass and strength, while calf BIVA only distinguishes subjects having muscle mass loss. The localized BIVA might be an alternative to conventional BIA or whole-body BIVA to assess body composition in the elderly.

Keywords: Bioimpedance; Body composition; Elderly; Sarcopenia.