Decreased Left Ventricular Mass is Associated with Sarcopenia and its Severity in Elderly Inpatients

Glob Heart. 2024 May 6;19(1):45. doi: 10.5334/gh.1326. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Objective: Skeletal muscle mass and cardiac structure change with age. It is unclear whether the loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM) is accompanied by a decrease in heart mass loss. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship of left ventricular mass (LVM) with sarcopenia and its severity in elderly inpatients.

Methods: Seventy-one sarcopenia subjects and 103 non-sarcopenia controls were enrolled in this study. Bioelectrical impedance analysis, handgrip strength, and 5-time chair stand test were used to evaluate SMM, muscle strength, and physical performance, respectively. Myocardial structure and function were assessed by echocardiography. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria 2019.

Results: Sarcopenic patients had smaller left ventricular sizes and LVM than non-sarcopenic controls. Severe sarcopenic patients had smaller left ventricular sizes and LVM than non-severe sarcopenic patients. In univariate regression analysis, body mass index (BMI), cardiac size, and LVM were positively correlated with SMM or SMI. In multivariate regression analysis, BMI and LVM were independently correlated with SMM and SMI. The combined measurement of LVM and BMI predicts sarcopenia with 66.0% sensitivity and 88.7% specificity (AUC: 0.825; 95% CI: (0.761, 0.889); p < 0.001).

Conclusion: In hospitalized elderly patients, decreased left ventricular mass is associated with sarcopenia and its severity, and the combined measurement of LVM and BMI has a predictive value for sarcopenia.

Keywords: bioelectrical impedance analysis; handgrip strength; left ventricular mass; sarcopenia; skeletal muscle mass.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Body Mass Index
  • Echocardiography*
  • Female
  • Heart Ventricles* / diagnostic imaging
  • Heart Ventricles* / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Inpatients
  • Male
  • Muscle, Skeletal / diagnostic imaging
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Sarcopenia* / diagnosis
  • Sarcopenia* / diagnostic imaging
  • Sarcopenia* / epidemiology
  • Sarcopenia* / physiopathology
  • Severity of Illness Index*
  • Ventricular Function, Left / physiology

Grants and funding

This work is supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.82271625), Key Research and Development Plan of Human Province (No.2022SK2013), Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province (No.2022JJ70063, No.2022JJ70051, No.2023JJ40816), and the Research Plan of Hunan Province Health Commission (No.D202311007238).