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Journal Article Ahead of print

PubMed: 42466482 DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.125.047621

Sarcopenia and Its Associated Metabolic Profile Predict Incident Heart Failure: A Prospective Cohort Study of 267 335 Adults in the UK Biobank.

J Am Heart Assoc

Authors: Ziyi Zhong, Yang Chen, Qiao Xiang, Hongyu Liu, Manlin Zhao, Vanja Pekovic-Vaughan, Reijo Sund, Rajiv Sankaranarayanan, Daniel J Cuthbertson, Masoud Isanejad

Affiliations

  • Department of Musculoskeletal and Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK.
  • Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK. Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science at University of Liverpool Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital Liverpool UK.
  • Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science at University of Liverpool Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital Liverpool UK.
  • Institute of Clinical Medicine, Kuopio Musculoskeletal Research Unit University of Eastern Finland Kuopio Finland.
  • Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Aintree Hospital Liverpool Merseyside UK.
  • Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK.
  • Metabolism & Nutrition Research Group Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Liverpool UK.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Sarcopenia is prevalent in heart failure (HF), but its role in incident HF and underlying metabolic mechanisms remains unclear. We examined the interplay between sarcopenia phenotypes, circulating metabolic profiles, and incident HF.

METHODS

We analyzed UK Biobank participants without baseline HF. Associations between sarcopenia phenotypes and HF incidence were assessed using Cox regression. Nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics was used to characterize sarcopenia-related profiles. Cox regression was applied to test metabolite-HF associations, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression was further used to refine predictors. Incremental predictive value beyond clinical risk factors was evaluated using discrimination and reclassification metrics.

RESULTS

During a median 15.3 years, 10 233 of 267 335 participants (mean age 56.5 ± 8.1 years; 44.6% men) developed HF. Groups with confirmed sarcopenia (n=1993) and low handgrip strength (normalized to body mass index) only (n=18 796) were associated with higher HF risk (hazard ratio [HR], 1.63 [95% CI, 1.44-1.85]; HR, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.66-1.85]) compared with the reference group, with stronger effects observed in younger adults and women. Metabolomic profiling revealed sarcopenia-related alterations (higher glycoprotein acetyls, glucose-lactate, phenylalanine, tyrosine, 3-hydroxybutyrate; lower omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid, glycine, glutamine, histidine), which also predicted higher HF risk (Bonferroni-adjusted P < 0.05). Selected metabolites are significant mediators and modestly improved HF prediction (15-year net reclassification improvement 14%-15%; integrated discrimination improvement 0.9%-1.0%).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia, particularly reduced handgrip strength, was a strong predictor for incident HF. Lipid-, amino acid-, and energy metabolism-related alterations modestly improved risk prediction and partially mediated the association.

MeSH

Docosahexaenoic Acids, Heart Diseases, Heart Failure, Heart, Phenotype, Cohort Studies, Metabolomics, Sarcopenia