Skeletal muscle mass obtained by anthropometric equation and presence of sarcopenia in postmenopausal women

Abstract Objective: To analyze the amount of muscle and the presence of sarcopenia in postmenopausal women using different methods, verifying the agreement between them as to skeletal muscle mass (SMM). Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted with postmenopausal women aged ≥ 50 years. SMM was obtained from a predictive equation, Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA), and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA). The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) were calculated. The cut-off point of SMI was determined for the population itself. The agreement between the SMI obtained using the different methods was verified. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the criteria proposed by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2). The significance level adopted for all tests was 5.0%. Results: A total of 112 women were evaluated, with an average age of 66.1 ± 5.65 years. Among them, 51.8% were sufficiently active and 43.8% were overweight and obese. The SMI cut-offs were 6.46 kg/m2 for the predictive equation and 7.66 kg/m2 for BIA, with high sensitivity and specificity. There was an excellent agreement in the identification of SMM by the predictive equation (0.89 [0.824-0.917], p < 0.001) and BIA (0.92 [0.883-0.945], p < 0.001), in reference to DXA. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 0.9%, 1.8%, and 2.7% according to BIA, DXA, and the predictive equation, respectively. Conclusion: The predictive equation showed the expected agreement in estimating skeletal muscle mass in postmenopausal women, offering a viable and accurate alternative.

Nutrient Patterns and Risk of Osteopenia in Postmenopausal Women.

Nutrient patterns (NPs) and the synergistic effect between nutrients have been shown to be associated with changes in bone mineral density (BMD). This study aimed to identify NPs and to associate them with BMD categories in postmenopausal women. This cross-sectional, observational, analytical study was carried out with women in menopause for at least 12 months, aged ≥50 years. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables were investigated. BMD was assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. A dietary assessment was conducted using a food frequency questionnaire, and three nutrient patterns (NP1, NP2, and NP3) were extracted from the principal component analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to investigate the association between BMD classifications and NP consumption. A total of 124 women, aged on average, 66.8 ± 6.1 years, were evaluated. Of these, 41.9% had osteopenia and 36.3% had osteoporosis. The NP1 (OR: 6.64, [CI95%: 1.56-28.16]; p = 0.010), characterized by vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, riboflavin, protein (total and animal), vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium, cholesterol, ß-carotene, omega 3, magnesium, zinc, niacin, and selenium; and the NP2 (OR: 5.03, [CI95%: 1.25-20.32]; p = 0.023), characterized by iron, vegetable protein, thiamine, folate, fibers (soluble and insoluble), PUFA, vitamin A, vitamin K, alpha-tocopherol, copper, sodium, and retinol, was inversely associated with osteopenia. The lower consumption of NP1 and NP2 by postmenopausal women was associated with a higher risk of osteopenia, but not osteoporosis.