Table 2.
Results of the physical examination and laboratory tests
| Variable | Elders without sarcopenia (n = 24) | Elders with sarcopenia (n = 24) | Young adults (n = 24) | P value a (two groups) | P value b (three groups) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median | (Q1, Q3) | Median | (Q1, Q3) | Median | (Q1, Q3) | |||
| Physical examination | ||||||||
| Height (cm) | 155.1 | (149.5, 161.8) | 155.2 | (150.8, 163.6) | 165.6 | (162.8, 175.3) | 0.6467 | <0.0001 |
| Weight (kg) | 64.1 | (58.1, 69.7) | 50.7 | (46.4, 55.2) | 62.3 | (54.1, 75.5) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2) | 26.3 | (25.1, 27.0) | 21.2 | (19.7, 22.0) | 22.5 | (20.9, 25.4) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 |
| ASMI (kg/m2) | 6.5 | (5.8, 7.7) | 5.3 | (5.1, 6.3) | NA | <0.0001 d | ||
| Fat mass percentage (%) | 37.7 | (30.7, 43.1) | 31.7 | (22.3, 35.9) | NA | 0.0080 | ||
| Waist circumstance (cm) | 94.5 | (88.0, 98.5) | 82.0 | (77.8, 85.5) | 79.0 | (70.8, 87.0) | <0.0001 | <0.0001 |
| Muscle strength (kg) | 21.0 | (16.0, 31.0) | 15.0 | (12.0, 21.5) | NA | 0.0231 | ||
| Gait speed (m/s) | 0.9 | (0.6, 1.3) | 0.7 | (0.5, 0.9) | NA | 0.0461 | ||
| Blood pressure | ||||||||
| Systolic (mmHg) | 129.0 | (119.0, 139.0) | 130.0 | (119.5, 138.5) | 112.0 | (108.5, 121.5) | 0.9433 | 0.0005 |
| Diastolic (mmHg) | 70.0 | (69.0, 76.0) | 71.5 | (69.5, 80.0) | 78.0 | (67.5, 83.5) | 0.2880 d | 0.2010 e |
| Laboratory tests | ||||||||
| RBC (M/μL) | 4.4 | (3.8, 4.5) | 4.3 | (4.1, 4.5) | 4.8 | (4.4, 5.3) | 0.5983 | 0.0004 e |
| Haemoglobin (g/dL) | 12.7 | (11.3, 13.3) | 13.0 | (12.4, 13.7) | 13.9 | (13.1, 15.4) | 0.3217 | 0.0014 e |
| Platelet (K/μL) | 240.5 | (189.5, 272.5) | 223.0 | (185.0, 265.0) | 259.5 | (227.5, 289.5) | 0.7571 d | 0.0989 e |
| WBC (K/μL) | 6.2 | (5.5, 7.2) | 6.5 | (5.5, 7.0) | 6.5 | (6.1, 7.8) | 0.8874 | 0.2924 |
| Neutrophil (%) | 57.0 | (53.5, 62.4) | 60.5 | (49.9, 66.3) | 59.1 | (56.1, 63.2) | 0.6678 | 0.7083 |
| Lymphocyte (%) | 33.6 | (28.7, 35.7) | 30.5 | (25.6, 42.8) | 32.0 | (30.0, 35.2) | 0.8778 | 0.8619 |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 4.5 | (4.4, 4.0) | 4.6 | (4.4, 4.8) | 4.9 | (4.9, 5.1) | 0.5829 | 0.0003 |
| Glucose AC (mmol/L) | 5.7 | (5.2, 7.4) | 5.8 | (4.9, 7.4) | 4.6 | (4.3, 4.9) | 0.7334 d | <0.0001 e |
| Total cholesterol (mmol/L) | 5.0 | (4.4, 5.8) | 4.6 | (4.1, 5.2) | 4.9 | (4.5, 5.5) | 0.2374 d | 0.4305 e |
| Triglyceride (mmol/L) | 1.7 | (1.1, 2.4) | 1.3 | (0.8, 1.9) | 0.9 | (0.6, 1.2) | 0.0370 d | 0.0007 e |
| AST (μkat/L) | 0.3 | (0.3, 0.4) | 0.4 | (0.3, 0.9) | 0.3 | (0.3, 0.4) | 0.1291 d | 0.2931 e |
| ALT (μkat/L) | 0.3 | (0.2, 0.4) | 0.3 | (0.2, 0.4) | 0.3 | (0.2, 0.5) | 0.4955 d | 0.1559 e |
| BUN (mmol/L) | 6.0 | (4.8, 9.4) | 6.8 | (4.7, 8.3) | 3.8 | (3.2, 4.6) | 0.9124 d | <0.0001 e |
| Creatinine (μmol/L) | 88.4 | (84.0, 110.5) | 97.2 | (79.6, 123.8) | 84.0 | (70.7, 97.2) | 0.9834 d | 0.0802 e |
| MDRD‐simplify‐GFR c (mL/min/1.73 m2) | 57.4 | (46.2, 74.4) | 59.3 | (46.7, 71.4) | 88.5 | (83.3, 92.8) | 0.9151 | <0.0001 |
| Uric acid (μmol/L) | 362.9 | (321.2, 386.7) | 336.1 | (276.6, 419.4) | 315.3 | (291.5, 386.7) | 0.3967 d | 0.6120 e |
| Log (TNF‐α (pg/mL)) | 1.6 | (1.5, 1.7) | 1.6 | (1.2, 1.8) | NA | 0.6567 d | ||
| Log (CRP (nmol/L)) | 1.3 | (1.2, 1.8) | 1.3 | (1.1, 1.5) | NA | 0.1801 d | ||
| Log (irisin (ng/mL)) | 2.8 | (2.5, 3.2) | 3.1 | (2.2, 3.3) | 2.4 | (2.0, 3.0) | 0.2376 d | 0.0427 e |
| Log (GDF‐15 (pg/mL)) | 6.1 | (5.7, 6.5) | 6.2 | (5.6, 6.6) | 4.8 | (4.6, 5.0) | 0.5728 d | <0.0001 e |
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; ASMI, appendicular skeletal muscle index; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; BUN, blood urine nitrogen; CRP, C‐reactive protein; GDF‐15, growth differentiation factor 15; GFR, glomerular filtration rate; MDRD, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease; RBC, red blood cell; TNF‐α, tumour necrosis factor‐α; WBC, white blood cell.
Elders without sarcopenia vs. elders with sarcopenia.
Among elders without sarcopenia, elders with sarcopenia, and young adults.
MDRD‐simplify‐GFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) = 186 × [(CRE)−1.154] × [(age)−0.203] (if male); MDRD‐simplify‐GFR (mL/min/1.73 m2) = 186 × [(CRE)−1.154] × [(age)−0.203] × 0.742 (if female).
Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test.
Kruskal–Wallis test.