INCREASED PLASMA PROLINE CONCENTRATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH SARCOPENIA OF ELDERLY PEOPLE

Abstract

AbstractBackground and purpose: Metabolome analyses have shown that plasma amino acid profiles reflect various pathological conditions, such as cancer and diabetes mellitus. It is not known, however, whether the plasma amino acid profile changes in patients with sarcopenia. This study aimed to investigate whether sarcopenia-specific changes occur in the plasma amino acid profile.Methods: A total of 153 community-dwelling elderly individuals and 7 institutionalized elderly individuals (male. n=56; female, n=104 women; age, 77.7 ± 7.0 years old) were recruited for this cross-sectional analysis. We performed a comprehensive geriatric assessment, which included an evaluation of the subjects’ hand grip strength, gait speed, muscle mass and blood chemistry, including the concentration of 18 amino acids.Results: Twenty-eight of the 160 participants met the criteria for sarcopenia established by the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. A univariate analysis showed that lower plasma concentrations of glutamine, histidine and tryptophan, and a higher concentration of proline were associated with sarcopenia. A multivariable analysis revealed that a higher concentration of proline was the only variable to be independently associated with sarcopenia.Conclusions: The plasma concentration of proline may therefore be useful for understanding the underlying pathophysiology of sarcopenia.