Gandham Anoohya, Vandenput Liesbeth, Turbic Alisa, MacRae Marion, Nassar Hadeel, Kolterman Orville G, Perlman Adam, Thompson Marin E, Karagounis Leonidas G, Lorentzon Mattias
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Osteoporos Int. 2025 Aug 19. doi: 10.1007/s00198-025-07653-4.
This study examines associations between muscle mass, strength, and bone microarchitecture in 160 postmenopausal women from the OsteoPreP Study. Findings reveal that greater appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) and hand grip strength correlate with increased cortical area and trabecular vBMD, although ALMI was associated with lower cortical bone density, explained by physical activity.
To investigate associations between muscle mass, strength, and bone microarchitecture in postmenopausal women.
Postmenopausal women (n = 160) (mean ± standard deviation: 55.9 ± 2.6 years) were included as part of the baseline examination from the OsteoPreP Study. Appendicular lean mass (ALM) was calculated as the sum of lean mass in the upper and lower limbs obtained using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Participants completed hand grip strength testing using a dynamometer. Bone microarchitecture parameters including cortical and trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), trabecular thickness, cortical area, and porosity were analyzed by using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) at the distal tibia and radius. Metabolic equivalents (METs) were objectively determined by accelerometer. Linear regression (unstandardised β-coefficients; p-values) analyses were performed with adjustments for confounders.
Higher appendicular lean mass index (ALMI; ALM/height in kg/m) was significantly associated with greater cortical area (2.55 mm per 1 kg/m increase in ALMI, p < 0.001) and greater trabecular vBMD (9.44 mg/cm per 1 kg/m, p = 0.013), but with lower cortical vBMD (- 11.37 mg/cm per 1 kg/m, p = 0.039) at the radius, after adjustment. Higher hand grip strength (kg) was also significantly associated with greater cortical area at the radius (0.67 mm per 1 kg, p = 0.001), with similar associations at the tibia. Additionally, physical activity levels (MET-hours/week) partially mediated the association between ALMI and cortical vBMD (- 2.01 mg/cm, 95% CI: - 5.25 to - 0.03).
In summary, greater ALMI and hand grip strength are associated with increased cortical area and trabecular vBMD, but lower cortical vBMD, which is partially explained by physical activity levels. Although greater muscle mass is correlated with larger bones, it comes at the expense of cortical vBMD in postmenopausal women.
本研究调查了来自OsteoPreP研究的160名绝经后女性的肌肉质量、力量与骨微结构之间的关联。研究结果显示，较高的四肢瘦体重指数（ALMI）和握力与皮质面积增加及小梁骨体积骨密度（vBMD）升高相关，尽管ALMI与较低的皮质骨密度相关，这可由身体活动来解释。
调查绝经后女性的肌肉质量、力量与骨微结构之间的关联。
纳入来自OsteoPreP研究基线检查的绝经后女性（n = 160）（平均±标准差：55.9±2.6岁）。使用双能X线吸收法计算四肢瘦体重（ALM），即上肢和下肢瘦体重之和。参与者使用测力计完成握力测试。使用高分辨率外周定量计算机断层扫描（HR-pQCT）分析胫骨远端和桡骨的骨微结构参数，包括皮质和小梁体积骨密度（vBMD）、小梁厚度、皮质面积和孔隙率。通过加速度计客观测定代谢当量（METs）。进行线性回归（未标准化β系数；p值）分析并对混杂因素进行调整。
调整后，较高的四肢瘦体重指数（ALMI；ALM/身高，单位为kg/m）与更大的皮质面积（ALMI每增加1 kg/m，增加2.55 mm，p < 0.001）和更大的小梁vBMD（每1 kg/m增加9.44 mg/cm，p = 0.013）显著相关，但与桡骨处较低的皮质vBMD（每1 kg/m降低11.37 mg/cm，p = 0.039）相关。较高的握力（kg）也与桡骨处更大的皮质面积（每1 kg增加0.67 mm，p = 0.001）显著相关，在胫骨处也有类似关联。此外，身体活动水平（MET-小时/周）部分介导了ALMI与皮质vBMD之间的关联（-2.01 mg/cm，95%CI：-5.25至-0.03）。
总之，较高的ALMI和握力与皮质面积增加及小梁vBMD升高相关，但与较低的皮质vBMD相关，身体活动水平可部分解释这一现象。尽管更大的肌肉质量与更大的骨骼相关，但在绝经后女性中这是以牺牲皮质vBMD为代价的。
