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Relationship between Homocysteine and Muscle Strength Decline: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Vidoni, ML; Pettee Gabriel, K; Luo, ST; Simonsick, EM; Day, RS
Published in: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci
March 14, 2018

BACKGROUND: Decreased muscle strength is strongly associated with future mobility limitations in older adults. Homocysteine is a risk factor for vascular disease and may exacerbate muscle strength decline. The present study aimed to examine the association between homocysteine levels and muscle strength in adults aged 50 years or older. METHODS: Data were from 1,101 participants of The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging between December 2004 and March 2015. Muscle strength was measured using grip strength. Mixed effects linear regression was used to estimate the association between homocysteine and muscle strength in men and women, separately. RESULTS: Total mean follow-up time was 4.7 ± 3.1 years, range from 0 to 10.1 years. Baseline mean grip strength was 39.9 kg for men and 25.5 kg for women. Grip strength declined over the follow-up time for both men and women. Among women, there was a significant inverse relationship between homocysteine and grip strength, where grip strength declined as a function of increasing homocysteine over time (β = -0.05, p = .031). Among men, an increase of 1 μmol/L in homocysteine was associated with -0.10 kg decrease in grip strength, though not significantly. CONCLUSIONS: In this study of healthy older adults aged 50 years or older, higher homocysteine was related to lower muscle strength in women. This is the first study to characterize the relationship over a long follow-up period. Future research should focus on assessing homocysteine as a marker of physical function decline and translating the relationship into clinical and public health practice.

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Published In

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci

DOI

EISSN

1758-535X

Publication Date

March 14, 2018

Volume

73

Issue

4

Start / End Page

546 / 551

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Humans
  • Homocysteine
  • Hand Strength
  • Gerontology
  • Female
  • Biomarkers
  • Baltimore
 

Citation

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Vidoni, M. L., Pettee Gabriel, K., Luo, S. T., Simonsick, E. M., & Day, R. S. (2018). Relationship between Homocysteine and Muscle Strength Decline: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 73(4), 546–551. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glx161
Vidoni, Michelle L., Kelley Pettee Gabriel, Sheng T. Luo, Eleanor M. Simonsick, and R Sue Day. “Relationship between Homocysteine and Muscle Strength Decline: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 73, no. 4 (March 14, 2018): 546–51. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glx161.
Vidoni ML, Pettee Gabriel K, Luo ST, Simonsick EM, Day RS. Relationship between Homocysteine and Muscle Strength Decline: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2018 Mar 14;73(4):546–51.
Vidoni, Michelle L., et al. “Relationship between Homocysteine and Muscle Strength Decline: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, vol. 73, no. 4, Mar. 2018, pp. 546–51. Pubmed, doi:10.1093/gerona/glx161.
Vidoni ML, Pettee Gabriel K, Luo ST, Simonsick EM, Day RS. Relationship between Homocysteine and Muscle Strength Decline: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2018 Mar 14;73(4):546–551.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci

DOI

EISSN

1758-535X

Publication Date

March 14, 2018

Volume

73

Issue

4

Start / End Page

546 / 551

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Humans
  • Homocysteine
  • Hand Strength
  • Gerontology
  • Female
  • Biomarkers
  • Baltimore