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. 2017 Nov;4(4):409-416.
doi: 10.1002/ehf2.12158. Epub 2017 Apr 10.

Relationship between skeletal muscle mass and cardiac function during exercise in community-dwelling older adults

Masamitsu Sugie  1   2 , Kazumasa Harada  1 , Tetsuya Takahashi  2   3 , Marina Nara  4   5 , Joji Ishikawa  1 , Teruyuki Koyama  6   2 , Hunkyung Kim  2 , Jun Tanaka  1 , Hajime Fujimoto  1 , Shuichi Obuchi  2 , Stephan von Haehling  7 , Syunei Kyo  8 , Hideki Ito  9
Affiliations

Relationship between skeletal muscle mass and cardiac function during exercise in community-dwelling older adults

Masamitsu Sugie et al. ESC Heart Fail. 2017 Nov.

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and cardiac functional parameters in older adults during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).

Methods and results: Sixty-three Japanese community-dwelling older adults were enrolled (20 men and 43 women; mean age 80 years, range 65-97 years). Cardiac functional parameters during exercise were assessed using CPET. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was calculated by dividing the appendicular lean mass (measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) by height in metres squared. Subjects were divided into two groups: men with SMI ≥ 7.0 kg/m2 and women with SMI ≥ 5.4 kg/m2 (non-sarcopenic group); or men with SMI < 7.0 kg/m2 and women with SMI < 5.4 kg/m2 (sarcopenic group). There were significant positive correlations between SMI and peak oxygen uptake (VO2 ) (r = 0.631, P < 0.001), and between SMI and peak VO2 /heart rate (HR) (r = 0.683, P < 0.001). However, only peak VO2 /HR significantly differed between groups in both sexes. Multiple linear regression analyses with peak VO2 /HR as a dependent variable showed that SMI was the only independent determinant after adjusting for potential confounders. After 4 month follow-up of 47 participants, there was still a significant positive correlation between SMI and peak VO2 /HR (r = 0.567, P < 0.001), and between percent change of SMI and percent change of peak VO2 /HR (r = 0.305, P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Peak VO2 /HR, an index of stroke volume at peak exercise, was associated with SMI. This indicates that skeletal muscle mass might affect cardiac function during exercise.

Keywords: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing; Community-dwelling older adults; Peak oxygen pulse; Sarcopenia; Skeletal muscle mass index.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(A) Statistically significant positive correlation between skeletal muscle mass index and peak oxygen pulse (r = 0.683, P < 0.001) in a population of 63 chronically ill older adults. (B) Statistically significant positive correlation between per cent change of skeletal muscle mass index and per cent change of peak oxygen pulse (r = 0.305, P < 0.05) in a population of 47 chronically ill older adults after 4 months of exercise training.
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