Can skeletal muscle echo intensity reflecting muscle composition be used as a new sarcopenia index

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16531
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Doshisha University (2016-2017); Kyoto Gakuen University (2015)
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yuya 同志社大学, スポーツ健康科学部, 助教 (70644376)
• Research Collaborator: KIMURA Misaka 京都学園大学, 健康医療学部, 教授 (90150573) ; YOSHINAKA Yasuko 京都学園大学, 経済経営学部, 教授 (80166983) ; YAMADA Yosuke 国立研究開発法人医薬基盤・健康・栄養研究所, 研究員 (60550118) ; IKENAGA Masahiro 福岡大学, スポーツ科学部, 助教 (90735573)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: エコー輝度 / フレイル / 超音波

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Echo intensity (EI) calculated from skeletal muscle ultrasonography (US) images has been considered to reflect muscle quality. The purpose of this study was to explore the applicability of EI as a sarcopenia / frail index. In the main research, 1,319 older adults (649 men, 670 women) were divided into robust, pre-frail and frail groups, and thus, their front-thigh US data [muscle thickness (MT) and EI] were compared. Significant linear trends were observed in MT and EI for both sex.
The findings suggest the utility of EI as a muscle composition index. Because EI can detect the quantitative and qualitative changes in skeletal muscle even at the pre-frail stage, it is expected to be use as a screening tool in the field of preventing frail and long-term care.

Free Research Field

応用健康科学