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Muscle mass and chronic dizziness: a cross-sectional study of a Korean population

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Abstract

Background and objectives

Weight gain is associated with imbalance in older people. In contrast, overweightness or mild obesity is less common in patients with chronic dizziness. This paradox may be, at least in part, related to differences in the body composition indices adopted in the previous studies. This study aimed to determine any association between the predicted body composition and chronic dizziness or imbalance of unknown causes.

Methods

We measured the lean body mass, body fat mass, and appendicular skeletal mass in 9243 people who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2019–2021. Sarcopenia was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia’s guidelines. Obesity was defined as a body fat percentage of ≥ 25% for men and ≥ 35% for women.

Results

The participants with chronic dizziness had a lower body mass index than those without (p = 0.001). Furthermore, sarcopenia was more common in those with chronic dizziness. In contrast, the degree of obesity was comparable in both groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that sarcopenia was associated with a higher risk of chronic dizziness (odds ratio = 1.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.1–2.5; p = 0.026).

Discussion

Given the association of sarcopenia with chronic dizziness or imbalance, muscle mass may play a role in maintaining balance and stability. Physical exercise could be recommended to increase muscle mass in patients with chronic dizziness/imbalance and sarcopenia. Additional research is required to establish a causal relationship between chronic dizziness and sarcopenia.

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Funding

This research was supported by Chungnam National University Hospital Research Fund, 2022.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Eun Ji Kim and Hye Seon Jeong contributed equally to this work and first authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea

    Eun Ji Kim, Hye Seon Jeong, Eunjin Kwon & Seong-Hae Jeong

  2. Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, 282 Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon, 35015, Korea

    Seong-Hae Jeong

  3. Department of Neurology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Ji-Soo Kim

  4. Dizziness Center, Clinical Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea

    Ji-Soo Kim

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  1. Eun Ji Kim
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Correspondence to Seong-Hae Jeong.

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Kim, E.J., Jeong, H.S., Kwon, E. et al. Muscle mass and chronic dizziness: a cross-sectional study of a Korean population. J Neurol 271, 1213–1223 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-023-12014-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-023-12014-4

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