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Prevalence of site-specific thigh sarcopenia in Japanese men and women

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of severe sarcopenia detected by total skeletal muscle mass (SM) index and of site-specific thigh sarcopenia for differing age groups in men and women. Japanese nonobese men and women aged 20 to 85 (n = 1,994, 55 % women) had muscle thickness (MTH) measured by ultrasound at six sites on the anterior and posterior aspects of the body. SM was estimated from ultrasound-derived prediction equations. Site-specific thigh sarcopenia was calculated using ultrasound-measured MTH at the anterior and posterior aspects of the thigh (MTH ratio, anterior 50 %/posterior 50 % thigh MTH (A50/P50 MTH)). Sarcopenia was defined as a SM index (SM divided by height2) of >2 standard deviations (SD) below the mean for young adults. Site-specific thigh sarcopenia was defined as a ratio of A50/P50 MTH of >2 SD below the mean for young adults. Age was inversely correlated to SM index and A50/P50 MTH in men (r = −0.480 and r = −0.522) and women (r = −0.243 and r = −0.516). The prevalence rate of sarcopenia was less than 3 % for women under the age of 60, 7 % for ages 60–69, and 24 % for ages 70–80. In men, the prevalence rate of sarcopenia was less than 7 % under the age of 50, 18 % for ages 50–59, 33 % for ages 60–69, and 47 % for ages 70–85. Compared to the sarcopenia estimated by SM index, there was a higher prevalence of site-specific thigh sarcopenia observed in both sexes. These results suggest that site-specific thigh sarcopenia appears before it is able to be detected at the whole body level.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Exercise Science & Recreation Management, University of Mississippi, 215 Turner Center, Oxford, MS, 38677, USA

    Takashi Abe & Mark Loftin

  2. Department of Health and Exercise Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

    Robert S. Thiebaud & Jeremy P. Loenneke

  3. National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

    Tetsuo Fukunaga

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  1. Takashi Abe
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  2. Robert S. Thiebaud
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  3. Jeremy P. Loenneke
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  4. Mark Loftin
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  5. Tetsuo Fukunaga
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Correspondence to Takashi Abe.

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Abe, T., Thiebaud, R.S., Loenneke, J.P. et al. Prevalence of site-specific thigh sarcopenia in Japanese men and women. AGE 36, 417–426 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-013-9539-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-013-9539-6

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