Background

Aging-related changes in muscle composition and mass may predispose older adults to developing insulin resistance. Ultrasound echo intensity and thickness are surrogates of muscle composition and mass, however, their associations with glucose homeostasis are not well established. We examined how muscle echo intensity and thickness correlate with markers of glucose homeostasis in older (≥65 years) males with normal (n = 22) or impaired (n = 10) glucose control.

Methods

Echo intensity was measured for the biceps brachii, rectus abdominis, and rectus femoris. Muscle thickness was evaluated for the biceps brachii + brachioradialis, rectus abdominis, and rectus femoris + vastus intermedius. Glucose homeostasis was evaluated using a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test.

Results

In older males with normal glucose homeostasis, higher echo intensity of the rectus abdominis and rectus femoris was moderately (r = 0.36 to 0.59) associated with 2-h glucose. On the contrary, higher muscle echo intensity of the rectus abdominis, biceps brachii, and rectus femoris was moderately-to-strongly (r = −0.36 to −0.79) associated with indices of better glucose homeostasis in the impaired group. Rectus abdominis muscle thickness was moderately associated (r = 0.36) with better glucose tolerance in the normal glucose homeostasis; however, in the glucose impaired group, muscle thickness was associated with (r = 0.37 to 0.73) with poorer glucose homeostasis.

Conclusions

Muscle echo intensity displays divergent associations with glucose homeostasis in older males with normal compared to impaired glucose control. Larger muscle thickness was associated with poorer glucose homeostasis in the glucose impaired group, but rectus abdominis muscle thickness was correlated with better homeostasis in healthy older males.

中文翻译：

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骨骼肌回声强度和厚度与健康和葡萄糖受损老年男性的葡萄糖稳态之间的关联

背景

与衰老相关的肌肉成分和质量变化可能会使老年人更容易出现胰岛素抵抗。超声回波强度和厚度是肌肉成分和质量的替代指标，然而，它们与葡萄糖稳态的关联尚未完全确定。我们检查了肌肉回声强度和厚度如何与具有正常 (n = 22) 或受损 (n = 10) 葡萄糖控制的老年（≥65 岁）男性的葡萄糖稳态标志物相关联。

方法

测量肱二头肌、腹直肌和股直肌的回声强度。评估了肱二头肌 + 肱桡肌、腹直肌和股直肌 + 股中间肌的肌肉厚度。使用 2 小时口服葡萄糖耐量试验评估葡萄糖稳态。

结果

在血糖稳态正常的老年男性中，腹直肌和股直肌的较高回声强度与 2 小时血糖适度相关（r = 0.36 至 0.59）。相反，腹直肌、肱二头肌和股直肌较高的肌肉回声强度与受损组中更好的葡萄糖稳态指数中度至强相关（r = -0.36 至 -0.79）。在正常葡萄糖稳态中，腹直肌厚度与更好的葡萄糖耐量中等相关（r = 0.36）；然而，在葡萄糖受损组中，肌肉厚度与（r = 0.37 至 0.73）与较差的葡萄糖稳态相关。

结论

与葡萄糖控制受损的老年男性相比，肌肉回声强度显示出与葡萄糖稳态的不同关联。在葡萄糖受损组中，较大的肌肉厚度与较差的葡萄糖稳态相关，但在健康的老年男性中，腹直肌肌肉厚度与较好的稳态相关。