Sayer Avan Aihie, Dennison Elaine M, Syddall Holly E, Jameson Karen, Martin Helen J, Cooper Cyrus
MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, United Kingdom.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2008 Aug;63(8):835-40. doi: 10.1093/gerona/63.8.835.
A number of studies have shown strong graded positive relationships between size at birth, grip strength, and estimates of muscle mass in older people. However no studies to date have included direct measures of muscle size.
We studied 313 men and 318 women born in Hertfordshire, United Kingdom between 1931 and 1939 who were still resident there and had historical records of growth in early life. Information on lifestyle was collected, and participants underwent peripheral quantitative computed tomography to directly measure forearm and calf muscle size.
Birth weight was positively related to forearm muscle area in the men (r = 0.24, p <.0001) and women (r = 0.17, p =.003). There were similar but weaker associations between birth weight and calf muscle area in the men (r = 0.13, p =.03) and in the women (r = 0.17, p =.004). These relationships were all attenuated by adjustment for adult size.
We present first evidence that directly measured muscle size in older men and women is associated with size at birth. This may reflect tracking of muscle size and is important because it suggests that benefit may be gained from taking a life course approach both to understanding the etiology of sarcopenia and to developing effective interventions.
多项研究表明，出生时的体型、握力与老年人肌肉量的估计值之间存在显著的分级正相关。然而，迄今为止尚无研究纳入肌肉大小的直接测量指标。
我们对1931年至1939年出生在英国赫特福德郡且仍居住在当地、有早年生长历史记录的313名男性和318名女性进行了研究。收集了生活方式信息，参与者接受了外周定量计算机断层扫描以直接测量前臂和小腿肌肉大小。
出生体重与男性前臂肌肉面积呈正相关（r = 0.24，p <.0001），与女性前臂肌肉面积也呈正相关（r = 0.17，p =.003）。出生体重与男性小腿肌肉面积之间存在类似但较弱的关联（r = 0.13，p =.03），与女性小腿肌肉面积之间也存在类似但较弱的关联（r = 0.17，p =.004）。通过对成人体型进行调整，这些关系均有所减弱。
我们首次提供证据表明，老年男性和女性直接测量的肌肉大小与出生时的体型有关。这可能反映了肌肉大小的追踪情况，并且很重要，因为这表明在理解肌肉减少症的病因和制定有效干预措施方面，采用生命历程方法可能会有所收获。
