サルコペニア肥満、筋力とQOL

サルコペニア肥満、筋力とQOLの関連を高齢女性でみた論文を紹介します。

Silva Neto LS, Karnikowiski MG, Tavares AB, Lima RM. Association between sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, muscle strength and quality of life variables in elderly women. Rev Bras Fisioter. 2012 Sep 13. pii: S1413-35552012005000044. [Epub ahead of print]

リサーチクエスチョンは以下の通りです。

P：高齢女性で（56人）
E：サルコペニア（肥満）を認めると
C：サルコペニア（肥満）を認めない場合と比較して
O：QOLが低い
D：横断研究

サルコペニアの評価はDEXAで行っています。筋力は握力で、QOLはSF-36で評価しています。結果ですが、56人中サルコペニア肥満を11人、サルコペニア肥満を13人に認めました。サルコペニア（肥満）の有無でQOLに有意差はありませんでした。

一方、握力はSF-36の8項目中6項目で有意な正の相関を認めました。以上より、握力とQOLは関連するが、サルコペニア（肥満）とQOLは関連しないという結論です。

対象が56人と少なく、サルコペニアの方も13人しかいません。また、QOLは疾患特異的QOL（サルコペニアでは聞いたことがありませんが…）ではなく全般的QOLで評価しています。これらより有意差が出にくいため、サルコペニア（肥満）とQOLに明らかな関連は認めなかったという解釈が無難かと思います。

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the association between sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity and muscle strength and variables related to quality of life in elderly women.

METHOD:

The sample consisted of 56 female volunteers who underwent body composition analysis (BMI and x-ray absorptiometry dual-energy DXA). Handgrip strength was measured using a Jamar dynamometer. We used the SF-36 health questionnaire to analyze quality of life. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and the Pearson correlation coefficient; SPSS 15.0 was used to perform the statistical analysis.

RESULTS:

The mean age of the subjects was 64.92±5.74 years; of the 56 volunteers evaluated, 19.64% (n=11) were classified as sarcopenic obese and 45 (80.36%) were not. Thirteen volunteers (23.21%) were classified as sarcopenic while 43 (76.78%) were not. Although there were no statistically significant differences between the studied parameters and quality of life among those with sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity, the values were lower in affected individuals. Interestingly, handgrip strength correlated positively and significantly with all of the SF-36 dimensions except VIT (p=0.08) and SM (p=0.25).

Conclusions:
Seeing that handgrip strength is a determining factor in quality of life aspects in this population, the screening and identification of small functional changes using simple clinical measures may facilitate early intervention and help prevent disability. In contrast, neither sarcopenia nor sarcopenic obesity were found to be associated with quality of life.