Abstract
BackgroundInflammatory indexes (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio [LMR]) are recently supposed to be the biomarkers of sarcopenia. We aimed to validate the association between these inflammatory indexes and sarcopenia in Chinese community-dwelling older people.MethodsWe consecutively recruited community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older. The neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, and platelet counts, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were tested using standard methods. Sarcopenia was defined according to different criteria: the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS), the updated version of AWGS (AWGS 2019), the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), the updated version of EWGSOP (EWGSOP2), the International Working Group on Sarcopenia (IWGS), and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project (FNIH). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed.ResultsWe included 384 participants. A total of 61 participants (15.9%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia according to the AWGS criteria. There was no significant difference in PLR, NLR, LMR, and CRP between the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group regardless of the diagnostic criteria. No significant association between PLR, NLR, LMR, and AWGS-defined sarcopenia was found (PLR per 1- standard deviation [SD]: adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82 to 1.45; NLR per 1-SD: adjusted OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.30; LMR per 1-SD: adjusted OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.38). Similar results were found when sarcopenia was defined by different criteria and when PLR, NLR, LMR were treated as categorical variables.ConclusionsOur study did not support the utility of the inflammatory indexes (NLR, PLR, and LMR) as the biomarkers of sarcopenia in Chinese community-dwelling older people. However, considering the inflammatory indexes can be simply calculated from a routine blood test, further studies in different populations remain warranted.
Highlights
IntroductionInflammatory indexes (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR)], and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio [LMR]) are recently supposed to be the biomarkers of sarcopenia
Inflammatory indexes are recently supposed to be the biomarkers of sarcopenia
This study showed that none of the three inflammatory indexes (PLR, neutrophil-tolymphocyte ratio (NLR), or lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR)) were significantly associated with sarcopenia in our study population regardless of the diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia
Summary
Inflammatory indexes (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio [LMR]) are recently supposed to be the biomarkers of sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was traditionally considered as a geriatric syndrome featured by loss of muscle mass and low muscle strength and/or low physical performance [1]. It has been formally recognized as a muscle disease with an international classification of disease, tenth revision, clinical modification (ICD-10-CM) Diagnosis Code [2, 3]. Sarcopenia is common among older people and is related to numerous adverse health outcomes, such as falls, functional decline, hospitalization, poor quality of life, and death [4, 5]. Inflammation may harm skeletal muscle mass through direct catabolic effects or by causing reduced dietary nutrition intake (induction of anorexia) [6, 7]
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