Diabetes is associated with impaired skeletal muscle quality, not quantity, in older adults, based on CT-derived chest muscle metrics.

OBJECTIVE

The study assessed the association between diabetes and both the quantity and quality of skeletal muscle among older adults, based on an analysis of chest computed tomography (CT) scans.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study of 1225 adults aged 65 years or more, 255 had type 2 diabetes mellitus. All participants had chest CT scans. Skeletal muscle index and skeletal muscle density at the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra were assessed using SliceOmatic software.

RESULTS

Skeletal muscle density at the fourth thoracic level was significantly lower in the diabetes group, while no significant difference between groups was observed in the muscle index. Spearman correlation analysis showed no significant correlation between fasting plasma glucose or glycated hemoglobin and the muscle index. However, both fasting plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin were negatively correlated with skeletal muscle density (rho = -0.100 and -0.194, respectively; both P < 0.05). After adjusting for potential confounders, linear regression analysis indicated that diabetes was negatively associated with skeletal muscle density (β = -0.069, P = 0.002). Logistic regression analysis identified skeletal muscle density as a significant independent factor associated with diabetes (OR = 0.943, 95 % confidence interval 0.908-0.979, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Based on chest CT scan, diabetes exerts a discernible impact on the quality of skeletal muscle (skeletal muscle density) at the fourth thoracic level among older adults, rather than its quantity (skeletal muscle index). These insights can inform clinical interventions and disease management strategies.