Sarcopenia risk in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis: a SARC-F-based assessment.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Osteoporosis and sarcopenia are diseases of bone and muscle tissue, respectively. Studies reported that these disorders were interrelated. However, this relation was explored in older adults and/or with certain comorbidities, and information about nonelderly postmenopausal women is scarce. This study's objectives were to investigate the relationship between osteoporosis and SARC-F-defined sarcopenia risk in postmenopausal women aged ≤70 years and to examine the effect of other factors on this risk.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

This multicenter case-control study included postmenopausal women aged 45-70 years. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was utilized to diagnose osteoporosis. Sociodemographic and clinical variables, sarcopenia risk (SARC-F), muscle strength (grip strength and five-times sit-to-stand test: 5T-STS), and physical activity levels (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form) were compared between osteoporotic and nonosteoporotic participants.

RESULTS

A total of 119 osteoporotic (median age: 58 years) and 119 nonosteoporotic (median age: 59 years) participants were recruited. No differences were observed between the osteoporotic and nonosteoporotic groups regarding SARC-F-defined sarcopenia risk (48.7% vs. 38.7%, p = 0.117), probable sarcopenia (14.5% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.876), grip strength (23 vs. 22 kg, p = 0.329), 5T-STS (13.90 vs. 13.96 s, p = 0.986), or physical activity levels (907.5 vs. 792 MET-min/week, p = 0.983). Although educational level [odds ratio (OR): 0.366, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.189-0.707, p = 0.003], proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use (OR: 2.494, 95% CI: 1.227-5.068, p = 0.012), and physical activity level (OR: 0.966, 95% CI: 0.945-0.988, p = 0.003) were independent predictors of SARC-F-defined sarcopenia risk, osteoporosis was not (p = 0.176).

CONCLUSION

SARC-F-defined sarcopenia risk was not increased in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis aged ≤70 years compared to nonosteoporotic controls. Lower educational status, PPI use, and low physical activity levels were associated with an increased SARC-F-defined sarcopenia risk.