Association between sarcopenia and multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults in China: Findings from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Mingming Deng; Ye Lu; Xuelian Li; Xiaoming Zhou; Gang Hou

Experimental Gerontology (Jan 2024)

Association between sarcopenia and multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults in China: Findings from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Mingming Deng,
Ye Lu,
Xuelian Li,
Xiaoming Zhou,
Gang Hou

Affiliations

Mingming Deng: National Center for Respiratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, PR China
Ye Lu: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110004, Liaoning Province, China
Xuelian Li: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
Xiaoming Zhou: Respiratory Department, Center for Pulmonary Vascular Diseases, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
Gang Hou: National Center for Respiratory Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, PR China; Corresponding author at: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 185
p. 112348

Abstract

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Background: Little is known about the association between sarcopenia and multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults. This study investigated whether sarcopenia is associated with multimorbidity in middle-aged and older Chinese individuals. Materials and methods: A total of 12,760 participants from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2015, with data on 14 specified chronic diseases and sarcopenia status were included in the cross-sectional analysis. A total of 7345 participants without multimorbidity from the CHARLS 2015 were included and followed up in 2018 in the longitudinal analysis. Logistic regression models were used in a cross-sectional investigation to assess the association between sarcopenia status and multimorbidity. In a longitudinal analysis, the relationships between sarcopenia status and multimorbidity were investigated using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Multimorbidity was prevalent in the no sarcopenia, possible sarcopenia, and sarcopenia groups at 38.8 % (3765/9713), 56.6 % (1199/2118), and 48.5 % (451/929), respectively. Multivariable regression revealed that both possible sarcopenia (β = 0.088, P<0.001) and sarcopenia (β = 0.028, P = 0.009), contributed to the number of chronic diseases. Logistic regression revealed that possible sarcopenia (OR: 1.56, 95 % CI: 1.39–1.76) was associated with multimorbidity. In the longitudinal analysis, participants in the possible sarcopenia group (HR: 1.19, 95 % CI:1.03–1.38) were more prone to experience new onset multimorbidity than did participants in the no sarcopenia group. Conclusions: Possible sarcopenia is associated with the development of multimorbidity in middle-aged and older Chinese populations. Health screening of populations with possible sarcopenia can facilitate early detection of multimorbidity.

Published in Experimental Gerontology

ISSN: 1873-6815 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine; Science: Biology (General)
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/experimental-gerontology

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