Investigating the applicability of echo intensity as a muscle quality index (to strengthen validity and to use in the field)

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K10873
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59020:Sports sciences-related
• Research Institution: Doshisha University
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yuya 同志社大学, スポーツ健康科学部, 助教 (70644376)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山縣 恵美 同志社女子大学, 看護学部, 専任講師 (30570056)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 筋内組成 / 超音波 / フレイル / サルコペニア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study was to enhance the effectiveness of echo intensity (EI), which can easily evaluate the skeletal muscle quality, and to examine its applicability to sports situations. There was a significant difference in EI of front thigh muscle between high and low physical fitness older adults. In addition, it was found that EI in front thigh muscle could predict the occurrence of newly certified cases of long-term-care insurance service requirements in older men. In women, the effect of EI was small, and it was considered necessary to combine it with other indicators for prediction. On the other hand, no relation between EI and sports performance was observed. EI is an effective index for discussing physical function and maintenance of physical independence in older adults, but it may be difficult to use it as a conditioning index in sports situations.

Free Research Field

応用健康科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

骨格筋の主要な加齢変化として萎縮、すなわち量の減少が知られているが、筋は質的にも変化する。本研究の結果、筋輝度は骨格筋の質的状態を適切に評価できる指標であることが示された。また、筋輝度が高齢男性の要支援・要介護認定の新規発生の予測因子であることが明らかになった。筋輝度と新規認定発生の関係を追跡した本研究の意義は大きい。今後、サルコペニアやフレイルの関連指標として筋輝度の活用が期待される。