Measures Derived from Panoramic Ultrasonography and Animal-Based Protein Intake Are Related to Muscular Performance in Middle-Aged Adults.

Nathaniel R Johnson,Shannon L David,Sherri N Stastny,Nathan D Dicks,Wonwoo Byun,Jill F Keith,Kara A Trautman,Christopher J Kotarsky,Kyle J Hackney

doi:10.3390/jcm10050988

Abstract

Ultrasonography advantageously measures skeletal muscle size and quality, but some muscles may be too large to capture with standardized brightness mode (B-mode) imaging. Panoramic ultrasonography can capture more complete images and may more accurately measure muscle size. We investigated measurements made using panoramic compared to B-mode ultrasonography images of the rectus femoris with muscular performance. Concurrently, protein intake plays an important role in preventing sarcopenia; therefore, we also sought to investigate the association between animal-based protein intake (ABPI) and muscular performance. Ninety-one middle-aged adults were recruited. Muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and thickness were obtained using B-mode and panoramic ultrasound and analyzed with Image J software. Muscular performance was assessed using isokinetic dynamometry, a 30-s chair test, and handgrip strength. Three-day food diaries estimated dietary intakes. Linear regression models determined relationships between measures from ultrasonography and muscular performance. Mixed linear models were used to evaluate the association between ABPI and muscular performance. Muscle CSA from panoramic ultrasonography and ABPI were positively associated with lower-body strength (β ± S.E.; CSA, 42.622 ± 20.024, p = 0.005; ABPI, 65.874 ± 19.855, p = 0.001), lower-body endurance (β ± S.E.; CSA, 595 ± 200.221, p = 0.001; ABPI, 549.944 ± 232.478, p = 0.020), and handgrip strength (β ± S.E.; CSA, 6.966 ± 3.328, p = 0.004; ABPI, 0.349 ± 0.171, p = 0.045). Panoramic ultrasound shows promise as a method for assessing sarcopenia. ABPI is related to better muscular performance.

Highlights

This article is an open access articleEarlier and more frequent assessments of muscle strength, mass, size, and quality and physical performance could help prevent sarcopenia by indicating a need for treatment or other intervention
We found that measures of muscle size from standardized brightness mode (B-mode) ultrasound images better captured the performance of the knee extensors, whereas measures of muscle size assessed from panoramic images were more closely related to overall muscular performance, producing significant associations between muscle size with summed peak torque and handgrip strength
Despite the fact measures from panoramic ultrasonography lacked face validity in the form of a significant relationship with knee extensor peak torque, our findings suggest that the panoramic feature is a suitable method for assessing sarcopenia in those with greater muscle at the midpoint of thigh, as it is related to both lower-body and upper-body strength

Summary

Introduction

Earlier and more frequent assessments of muscle strength, mass, size, and quality and physical performance could help prevent sarcopenia by indicating a need for treatment or other intervention. Performance in addition to low muscle strength and quantity is considered severe sarcopenia [1]. Ultrasonography is a portable and relatively low-cost method of assessing muscle size [2], making it a potentially useful tool for evaluating sarcopenia for clinical or research purposes [3,4]. Ultrasonography records a measure of muscle quality in the form of echogenicity or echo intensity [5,6,7], making ultrasound a potentially more powerful tool than bioelectrical impedance for assessing sarcopenia or signs of pre-sarcopenia in middle age

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion