Endocrinol Metab.  2022 Jun;37(3):487-496. 10.3803/EnM.2022.1428.

Decreased Serum Level of Sclerostin in Older Adults with Sarcopenia

• Ahn SH
• Jung HW
• Lee E
• Baek JY
• Jang IY
• Park SJ
• Lee JY
• Choi E
• Lee YS
• Hong S
• Kim BJ

• KMID: 2531392
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2022.1428

Abstract

Background
Although muscles and bones interact with each other through various secretory factors, the role of sclerostin, an osteocyte-secreted factor, on muscle metabolism has not been well studied. We investigated the levels of serum sclerostin in Korean older adults with sarcopenia.
Methods
Blood samples were collected from 129 participants who underwent evaluation of muscle mass and function in an outpatient geriatric clinic of a teaching hospital. Sarcopenia and related parameters were determined using cutoff values for the Asian population. Serum sclerostin levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results
The mean age of the participants was 69.6 years, and 20 participants (15.5%) were classified as having sarcopenia. After adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index, serum sclerostin levels were significantly lower in participants with sarcopenia, low muscle mass, or weak muscle strength (P=0.003 to 0.045). Serum sclerostin levels were positively associated with skeletal muscle index and grip strength after adjusting for confounders (P=0.001 and P=0.003), whereas sarcopenic phenotype score showed a negative association (P=0.006). These increases in muscle mass and strength were also dose dependent as serum sclerostin levels increased (P for trends=0.003 and P for trends=0.015). Higher serum sclerostin levels were associated with lower odds ratio (ORs) for sarcopenia, low muscle mass, and weak muscle strength after adjusting for confounders (OR, 0.27 to 0.50; P<0.001 to 0.025).
Conclusion
Higher serum sclerostin levels were associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia, low muscle mass, and weak muscle strength in Korean older adults.

Keyword

Muscle mass; Muscle strength; Sarcopenia; Sclerostin

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Differences in serum sclerostin levels according to sarcopenia status and abnormalities in sarcopenia-related parameters (A) before and (B) after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index. Values are expressed as least-square means with 95% confidence interval.

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  Fig. 2. Differences in sarcopenia-related parameters according to serum sclerostin quartiles (A) before and (B) after adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index. Values are expressed as least-square means with 95% confidence interval. SMI, skeletal muscle index; SPPB, short physical performance battery; SPS, sarcopenia phenotype score. a P<0.05 vs. Q1 in the post hoc analysis.

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