The relationship between thigh circumference and sarcopenia in Chinese community-dwelling elderly aged ≥60 years

Background: There has been a growing body of research demonstrating that thigh circumference is closely associated with the development of various chronic disease. However, limited evidence has been obtained regarding the relationship between thigh circumference and sarcopenia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between thigh circumference and sarcopenia, and explore the potential role of thigh circumference for sarcopenia screening among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: The investigation was carried out in six rural communities located in northwestern China with participants aged ≥60 years old. We collected variables related to sarcopenia, including function, muscle mass, and strength. The thigh circumference was categorized into four groups based on quartiles, with the first quartile (≤46.65 cm); the second quartile (46.66-48.50 cm); the third quartile (48.51-50.55 cm); and the fourth quartile (>50.55 cm). The associations and screening effect were estimated with multivariate logistics regression and ROC curves.

Results: Of the 1000 participants aged 70.72 ± 4.68 years. Compared with the first quartile (≤46.65 cm), the odds ratios for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of thigh circumference were 0.465 (95%CI: 0.281-0.770, p = 0.003), 0.199 (95%CI: 0.097-0.407, p < 0.001), and 0.059 (95%CI: 0.016-0.220, p < 0.001), respectively. The regression results were consistent across different sexes. The AUC and cutoff values of thigh circumference for sarcopenia were 0.873 (95 % CI 0.836-0.909, p < 0.001) and 48.83 cm for men and 0.861 (95 % CI 0.822-0.900, p < 0.001) and 46.78 cm for women. There was a positive correlation between thigh circumference and skeletal muscle mass (r = 0.747, p < 0.001), hand grip strength (r = 0.337, p < 0.001), and gait speed (r = 0.142, p < 0.001), while a negative correlation was observed with five-times-sit-to-stand test (r = -0.073, p = 0.021).

Conclusion: There was a negative correlation between thigh circumference and sarcopenia, suggesting that thigh circumference may serve as a potential useful indicator for sarcopenia screening in the elderly.