Abstract
BackgroundVarious cross-sectional studies provide an abundance of evidence that shows a relationship between bone quantity and muscle health. However, one question remains, less-often studied: is their development - or decline – associated? The aim of the research was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the studies exploring the association between changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and changes in muscle parameters (registration CRD42018093813).MethodsWe searched for prospective studies, both in children and adults, by consulting electronic databases (Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-AMED, Scopus). Each review steps were performed by two independent reviewers. For outcomes reported by less of 3 studies, we synthetized the results narratively. In other cases, a meta-analysis was performed, giving an overall r coefficient and its 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsFifteen papers were included. In connection with the change of BMD, 10 studies concerned the parallel change of lean mass, 4 were about grip strength, and 1 was about physical performance. Children were the population of interest for 5 studies, while the aging population was the focus of the other studies. The correlation between hip BMD and lean mass was significant, with an overall coefficient r = 0.37 (95% CI 0.23–0.49). High heterogeneity was observed between studies but the length of follow-up, sex and study quality did not seem to significantly influence results. The systematic review allowed some other highlights: a significant link between changes in BMD and changes in muscle strength was observed (p-value < 0.05 in the 4 studies), in addition to changes in performance (1 study, r = 0.21, p-value = 0.004).ConclusionDespite the heterogeneity between studies, we highlighted a significant association between the change of BMD and the change of various muscle parameters. Future studies should investigate preventive and therapeutic strategies that are based on a single entity: the ‘muscle-bone unit’.
Highlights
A good musculoskeletal health is crucial throughout the course of life
The most noticeable link is demonstrated by the mechanical influences between these two tissues in the theory that was developed by Harold Frost [11]: There is a mechanical loading that is generated by the movement of the muscle on the bone, leading to a positive relationship between the lean masses and bone tissues
This work concluded that lean mass was significantly associated with bone mineral density (BMD), estimating an overall correlation coefficient of 0.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.34–0.43)
Summary
A good musculoskeletal health is crucial throughout the course of life In childhood, it allows an optimal development [1], since the acquisition of bone mass is significantly impacted by the muscle function [2]. The most noticeable link is demonstrated by the mechanical influences between these two tissues in the theory that was developed by Harold Frost [11]: There is a mechanical loading that is generated by the movement of the muscle on the bone, leading to a positive relationship between the lean masses and bone tissues. One question remains, less-often studied: is their development - or decline – associated? The aim of the research was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the studies exploring the association between changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and changes in muscle parameters (registration CRD42018093813)
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