Sarcopenia is associated with cardiovascular risk in men with COPD, independent of adiposity

• Published in: Respiratory research 2022-07, Vol.23 (1), p.1-185, Article 185
• Main Authors: Leem, Ah Young, Kim, Young Sam, Chung, Kung Soo, Park, Moo Suk, Kang, Young Ae, Park, Young-Mok, Jung, Ji Ye
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose tissue; Adiposity; Air flow; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Body fat; Body mass index; Bone densitometry; Cardiology; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Care and treatment; Chi-square test; Chronic illnesses; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Comorbidity; Complications and side effects; Confidence intervals; Development and progression; Diagnosis; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Health risks; High density lipoprotein; Hypertension; Lung diseases; Lung diseases, Obstructive; Methods; Mortality; Musculoskeletal system; Nutrition; Obesity; Obstructive lung disease; Population; Regression analysis; Risk; Risk analysis; Risk factors; Sarcopenia; Standard error; Statistical analysis
• ISSN: 1465-993X; 1465-9921; 1465-993X; 1465-9921
• DOI: 10.1186/s12931-022-02109-3

Background Sarcopenia is a well-established risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), but its relationship with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been fully determined. This study is aimed to investigate the association between sarcopenia and risk for ASCVD in patients with COPD, independent of central obesity and fat mass. Methods Data regarding 704 men with COPD (mean age: 63.4 years) were extracted from the 2008 to 2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Sarcopenia index and fat mass were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Sarcopenia was defined according to the presence of sarcopenia index values < 1 standard deviation from the cutoff (0.774) among the study participants. ASCVD risk was evaluated using American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. High probability of ASCVD was defined as ASCVD risk > 20%. Results The quartile-stratified sarcopenia index was negatively associated with ASCVD risk (P < 0.001). ASCVD risk and prevalence of high ASCVD risk were significantly greater in sarcopenic participants than in non-sarcopenic participants, regardless of central obesity and fat mass (all P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analyses demonstrated an independent association between sarcopenia and ASCVD risk (estimated [+ or -] standard error = 3.63 [+ or -] 0.77%, P < 0.001) and high ASCVD risk (odds ratio [OR] = 2.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-5.15, P = 0.039). Furthermore, sarcopenia was an independent factor for high ASCVD risk in participants with moderate to very severe airflow limitation (OR = 2.97, 95% CI 1.06-8.36, P < 0.001). Conclusions Sarcopenia was significantly associated with an increased risk for ASCVD in men with COPD, independent of central obesity and fat mass. High ASCVD risk was significantly associated with sarcopenia, particularly in participants with moderate to very severe airflow limitation. Keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Sarcopenia, Cardiovascular disease, Risk, Adiposity