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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Handgrip strength and risk of common infections and sepsis: Two prospective cohorts with proteomic mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence links adiposity with the risk of severe infections, but whether muscle strength may also be an independent risk factor is less studied. We investigated the association between handgrip strength and risk of common infections and sepsis and explored potential mediation by plasma proteomic biomarkers. METHODS: We analyzed data from 405,451 UK Biobank participants and replicated the main findings in 4474 Chinese adults from the Hong Kong Osteoporosis Study (HKOS). Baseline handgrip strength was measured by a dynamometer. Cox models were used to estimate its association with incidence of pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), skin infection, and sepsis, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related factors. Mediation analyses were performed using 2912 plasma proteins in a UK Biobank subsample (n = 42,414) to identify biological pathways. RESULTS: In UK Biobank (median follow-up 13.6-15.3 years), lower handgrip strength was associated with significantly increased risk of pneumonia (hazard ratio per 5-kg decrement=1.10; 95% CI=1.09-1.11), UTI (1.10; 1.09-1.11), skin infection (1.05; 1.04-1.05), and sepsis (1.08; 1.07-1.10). Associations were largely consistent in HKOS, and the relative risks associated with low grip strength were generally most pronounced in underweight individuals. GDF15 and PLAUR were identified as the most important proteins which mediated 12-14% of these associations. CONCLUSION: Low handgrip strength is associated with increased risks of common infections and sepsis, particularly in underweight individuals, with partial mediation by proteins related to inflammation and immune-related pathways. Handgrip strength assessment may provide prognostic value beyond body mass index for clinical risk stratification.

Humans↗

PubMed1978

Effects on handgrip strength due to arm immersion in a 10 degree C water bath.

Thirteen male and female human subjects participated in an experiment to determine if cold water immersion of the arm increases post-immersion handgrip strength. The test involved immersion of a subject's fore-arm into a 10 degrees C water bath for 30 min once a week in a 3-week series, involving a control test and two immersion experiments. Handgrip strength was measured 20 min before and then once every 20 minutes after the cold bath immersion for 4 h, for a total of 18 readings. Grip strength significantly decreased as a consequence of immersion of the forearm. However, strength recovery to approximately normal values took place within 40 min. No increases in post-immersion strength were observed.

Adult↗

PubMed2026

Evaluating a Genome-Wide Polygenic Score for Handgrip Strength and Its Interplay with Leisure-Time Physical Activity Across the IGEMS Twin Cohorts.

PURPOSE: Polygenic scores (PGSs) may help assess genetic predisposition to multifactorial traits. We examined whether age, sex, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) modify the association between a PGS for handgrip strength (HGS) and measured HGS in older adults. METHODS: PGS for HGS (PGS hgs) , based on Pan-UK Biobank genome-wide association study data, was calculated for 5103 participants (aged 40-96; 44% women) from eight twin cohorts in Denmark, Sweden, Australia, the United States, and Finland within the IGEMS consortium. Sex-standardized HGS and self-reported LTPA were assessed cross-sectionally. Linear mixed models estimated associations between PGS hgs and HGS, including interactions with age, country, and LTPA, as well as an association between PGS hgs and LTPA. Fixed-effect within-pair models were conducted to assess environmental contributions. RESULTS: Higher PGS hgs was associated with greater HGS (β = 2.14, SE = 0.15, P < 0.001), explaining 4.6% of HGS variance overall, with modest variation across countries. In sex-stratified models, PGS hgs explained 5.2% of the variance in females and 4.3% in males. No statistically significant interaction with age was found. A significant PGS hgs × LTPA interaction (β = -0.034, P = 0.013) indicated that the association between LTPA and HGS was more pronounced among individuals with lower PGS hgs . The within-pair models offered limited support for the independent environmental impact of LTPA. CONCLUSIONS: The PGS hgs was associated with measured HGS in the meta-analysis, highlighting the potential of PGSs to capture individual differences in strength-related traits across populations. The association of PGS hgs with HGS was moderated by LTPA, such that the beneficial impact of LTPA on HGS was greater among individuals with a lower genetic propensity for HGS.

Humans↗

PubMed1977

Influence of cold bath on maximum handgrip strength.

12 female college students participated in a repeated-measures experiment, receiving an experimental treatment and a control treatment. The former was a 30-min. cold bath to the forearm while the control was a simolar 30-min. period without the cold bath. Subjects' maximum handgrip strength was measured 11 times, immediately prior to treatment, immediately following treatment, and then every 20 min. for 3 hr. The subjects were tested at the same time of the day, on the same day of the week, for two consecutive weeks. Grip strength was significantly decreased immediately following the experimental treatment below pre-treatment measures and post-treatment measures for the control session. Grip strength during the experimental session significantly increased at 80 min. post-treatment when compared to the strength measures for the control at the same time interval or when compared to pre-treatment measures for either treatment. The strength measures for the two treatments remained significantly different over the rest of the testing occasions.

Baths↗

PubMed2026

Colocalization and functional analyses identify GBE1 as a gene linking muscle strength and cardiometabolic fitness.

Handgrip strength is a proxy for muscular fitness, an indicator for general health status, and is associated with cardiometabolic health. The mechanisms connecting handgrip strength to skeletal muscle function are incompletely understood. We applied integrated linkage-disequilibrium-adjusted colocalization analysis of genome-wide association study summary statistics for handgrip strength, combined with expression and splicing quantitative trait loci from skeletal muscle, and identified glycogen branching enzyme 1 (GBE1) as a candidate gene for handgrip strength. CRISPR-interference knockdown of GBE1 in immortalized human skeletal muscle cells (HMCL-7304) demonstrated decreased glycogen content and accumulation of polyglucosan bodies. Knockdown of GBE1 led to increased oxygen consumption rate, oxidative stress, and changes in mitochondrial morphology. Transcriptomic profiling of GBE1 knockdown cells identified upregulation of the human superoxide dismutase 2 and enrichment of pathways related to muscle contraction and oxidative stress responses. These functional genomic analyses prioritize GBE1 as a muscle-relevant candidate gene for handgrip strength and provide mechanistic insights to muscle fitness.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Colocalization of genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci with quantitative trait loci (QTL) in skeletal muscle tissue identified GBE1 as a candidate for handgrip strength. Cellular phenotypes with GBE1 knockdown in immortalized human skeletal muscle cells include decreased glycogen content, accumulation of polyglucosan bodies, changes in mitochondrial function and morphology, and increased expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. Transcriptomic changes suggest a role for GBE1 in muscle contraction and oxidative stress-mediated responses.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Multidisciplinary mHealth Rehabilitation for Patients With Abdominal Cancer Who Are Receiving Chemoradiotherapy: Randomized Phase II Trial.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for abdominal cancer frequently induces muscle loss, weight loss, and malnutrition. OBJECTIVE: This exploratory randomized phase II trial evaluated whether a multidisciplinary, mobile health (mHealth)-based multimodal rehabilitation program could preserve handgrip strength and muscle mass in patients with abdominal cancer undergoing CCRT. METHODS: In this prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label phase II trial (NCT05325554), 111 eligible patients with abdominal malignancies scheduled for CCRT were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either multidisciplinary mHealth rehabilitation care (MRC; n=57) or standard care (SC; n=54). The MRC program was delivered by a dedicated multidisciplinary team using the AiNST mHealth platform and wearable heart rate monitors. The primary end point was handgrip strength at the end of CCRT (analyzed with analysis of covariance adjusting for baseline). Secondary end points were exploratory and analyzed without multiplicity adjustment; sensitivity analysis using false discovery rate (FDR) correction was performed. RESULTS: Between February 2022 and April 2023, 111 patients were enrolled. Adherence was high (n=93, 83.9% achieved exercise targets). After adjusting for baseline handgrip strength, the MRC group had significantly higher handgrip strength at the end of CCRT than the SC group (adjusted mean difference 4.87 kg, 95% CI 3.36-6.38; P<.001). Exploratory analyses of secondary end points (without multiplicity adjustment) showed that the MRC group also had better preservation of body weight (P=.005), skeletal muscle mass (P<.001), serum albumin (P=.009), prealbumin (P=.02), and lower rates of hematological toxicity (P<.05), as well as improved psychological status (distress thermometer [DT] and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]) and nutritional scores (Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 [NRS-2002] and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment [PG-SGA]) at the end of CCRT (all P<.05). All nominally significant secondary end points remained significant after FDR correction (q<.05). These findings are preliminary and should be interpreted with caution due to the open-label design, population heterogeneity, and exploratory secondary analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In this exploratory phase II trial, a multidisciplinary, mHealth-based multimodal rehabilitation program was associated with better preservation of handgrip strength, muscle mass, and nutritional status, as well as lower rates of certain treatment toxicities, compared with SC. However, definitive conclusions are limited by the open-label design, heterogeneity of tumor types, and short follow-up. Larger, blinded phase III trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Effects of Adding Incentive Spirometry to Hospital-Based Cardiovascular Rehabilitation on Pulmonary Complications, Hospital Length of Stay, and Clinical-Functional Recovery After Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study investigated the effects of combining incentive spirometry with cardiac rehabilitation compared with cardiac rehabilitation alone on postoperative pulmonary complications, clinical-functional recovery, and hospital length of stay in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial was conducted from May 2019 to October 2023 in two hospitals, including 46 inpatients undergoing cardiac surgery. Participants were assigned to incentive spirometry plus cardiac rehabilitation or cardiac rehabilitation alone. Both interventions were performed twice daily; spirometry used a volume-oriented device, and rehabilitation followed a seven-step protocol (2-4 METs). Outcomes included postoperative pulmonary complications, functional capacity (6-min walk test), handgrip strength, respiratory muscle function, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: The incentive spirometry associated with cardiac rehabilitation group had a longer extracorporeal circulation time (98 ± 26 min) than the cardiac rehabilitation group (76 ± 1; p = 0.008). Both groups showed a postoperative decline in respiratory muscle strength, and walking distance (MD: -64.37 m; 95% CI: [-24.1; -104.6]; d = 0.71), with no difference in postoperative pulmonary complications and handgrip strength. The incentive spirometry associated with cardiac rehabilitation group did not significantly differ on postoperative hospital stay compared with the cardiac rehabilitation group (MD: -1 day; 95% CI: [-4.71; 2.71]; d = -0.19). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, no additional benefit was observed with the addition of incentive spirometry to cardiac rehabilitation compared with cardiac rehabilitation alone. No significant differences were detected between groups in postoperative pulmonary complications, hospital length of stay, or clinical-functional recovery among individuals undergoing cardiac surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBEC) under the number RBR-8tsjf97.

Aged↗

PubMed2026

Associations Between Health-Related Physical Fitness and Accelerometry-Based Energy Expenditure in Physiotherapy Workers.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although it has been assumed that higher physical activity (PA) levels will contribute to better physical fitness (PF) performance, the interplay between these two has yet to be investigated. Moreover, the majority of studies have been presented in children and adolescents, and older adults, while little is known about the correlation in the adult working population of physiotherapists. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to examine associations between objectively measured PA and health-related PF. METHODS: We recruited 50 physiotherapists (72.6% women) from several public and private settings in the city of Zagreb. The SenseWearArmbandPro3 (SWA), a triaxial accelerometer placed on the nondominant hand for 7 consecutive days, was used to capture total energy expenditure (TEE) and active EE (AEE). Cardiorespiratory fitness included the Harvard step test, and muscular fitness was composed of sit-ups in 60 sec and the Handgrip strength. Flexibility was evaluated using the Toe-touch test. RESULTS: TEE and AEE were moderately and positively correlated with the Harvard step test (r = 0.65 and 0.62, p < 0.001), sit-ups (r = 0.70 and 0.59, p < 0.001), and the Handgrip strength test (r = 0.74 and 0.64, p < 0.001). No significant correlation with the Toe-touch test was observed (r = -0.25 and -0.19, p > 0.05). When models were adjusted for age, weaker, but significant positive correlations remained. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that both cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness are positively associated with PA, whereas no statistically significant association with flexibility was detected. Thus, it is not surprising that we obtained moderate to almost strong correlations between TEE and AEE with cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. CONCLUSIONS: In physiotherapists, TEE and AEE yield moderate correlations with health-related PF, especially for cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

DNA methylation signatures in skeletal muscle associated with physical function in healthy older adults.

Despite the substantial variability in physical function among older adults, the molecular mechanisms remain poorly characterized, particularly within skeletal muscle. This study aimed to determine the patterns of DNA methylation in skeletal muscle associated with physical function in healthy older adults. We analyzed DNA methylation (EPIC v2 array; 875,554 CpG sites) in skeletal muscle from 92 healthy older adults (median age 74; 62% female). Associations were examined across five phenotypes: Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), 6-min walk test (6MWT), handgrip strength, perceived disability (PAT-D), and lifestyle health (modified Life's Essential 8). Linear regression models adjusted for age, sex, race, BMI, and muscle fiber composition. Genomic inflation corrected via the BACON method (FDR < 0.05). Gene set enrichment analysis was performed on suggestive hits (FDR < 0.1). We identified significant differentially methylated probes (DMPs) and regions (DMRs) across all phenotypes: SPPB (70 DMPs, 22 DMRs), 6MWT (16 DMPs, 566 DMRs), handgrip strength (2 DMRs), PAT-D (19 DMPs, 1 DMR), and lifestyle health (2 DMPs). DMRs largely overlapped promoters. Identified genes overlapped known musculoskeletal and neurological GWAS hits, including RUNX2 and FOXL1 (bone mineral density), IGFBP3 (muscle mass), and NEK1 and SHANK1 (neurological function). Enrichment analysis revealed that 6MWT-associated genes relate to nervous and skeletal system development, while handgrip-associated genes involve cytoskeletal dynamics and protein assembly. Epigenetic variation in aging skeletal muscle is associated with physical function. The enrichment of pathways related to nervous and musculoskeletal development suggests specific epigenetic mechanisms underlying functional decline, offering potential targets for intervention in older adults.

DNA methylation↗

PubMed2025

Comparative Analysis of Primary Sarcopenia and End-Stage Renal Disease-Related Muscle Wasting Using Multi-Omics Approaches.

BACKGROUND: Age-related primary sarcopenia and end-stage renal disease (ESRD)-related muscle wasting are discrete entities; however, both manifest as a decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength. The etiological pathways differ, with aging factors implicated in sarcopenia and a combination of uremic factors, including haemodialysis, contributing to ESRD-related muscle wasting. Understanding these molecular nuances is imperative for targeted interventions, and the integration of proteomic and metabolomic data elucidate these intricate processes. METHODS: We generated detailed clinical data and multi-omics data (plasma proteomics and metabolomics) for 78 participants to characterise sarcopenia (n = 28; mean age, 72.6 ± 7.0 years) or ESRD (n = 22; 61.6 ± 5.5 years) compared with controls (n = 28; 69.3 ± 5.7 years). Muscle mass was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis and handgrip strength. Five-times sit-to-stand test performance was measured for all participants. Sarcopenia was diagnosed in accordance with the 2019 Consensus Guidelines from the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. An abundance of 234 metabolites and 722 protein groups was quantified in all plasma samples using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Muscle mass, handgrip strength and lower limb muscle function significantly lower in the sarcopenia group and the ESRD group compared with those in the control group. Metabolomics revealed altered metabolites, highlighting exclusive differences in ESRD-related muscle wasting. Metabolite set enrichment analysis revealed the involvement of numerous metabolic intermediates associated with urea cycle, amino acid metabolism and nucleic acid metabolism. Catecholamines, including epinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, are significantly elevated in the plasma of patients within the ESRD group. Proteomics data exhibited a clearer distinction among the three groups compared with the metabolomics data, particularly in distinguishing the control group from the sarcopenia group. The ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor was top-ranked in terms of the variable importance of projection scores. Plasma AHNAK protein levels was higher in the sarcopenia group but was lower in the ESRD group. Proteomic set enrichment analysis revealed enrichment of several pathways related to sarcopenia, such as hemopexin, defence response and cell differentiation, in sarcopenia group. Multi-omic integration analysis revealed associations between relevant metabolites, including catecholamines, and a group of annotated proteins in extracellular exosomes. CONCLUSIONS: We identified distinct multi-omic signatures in individuals with ESRD or sarcopenia, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying ESRD-related muscle wasting, which differ from primary sarcopenia. These findings may support interventions for context-dependent muscle loss and contribute to the development of targeted treatments and preventive strategies for muscle wasting.

Humans↗

PubMed1975

Aging, isometric strength and endurance, and cardiovascular responses to static effort.

Previous studies on the relationship of age to isometric muscular strength are few, on isometric endurance rare, and on the physiological responses to static effort nonexistent. This investigation assessed the maximal handgrip strength, the duration of a fatiguing handgrip contraction at a tension of 40% of maximal strength and the heart rate and blood pressure during that contraction of 100 men aged from 22 to 62 yr. The subjects of this study were all men employed in a machine shop for a large aircraft corporation. The homogeneity of their occupations may well explain why, unlike previous reports, we found no change in muscular strength or muscular endurance with age. However, although heart rate increased during the contraction in all subjects, the increase in heart rate was greater in younger men. In contrast, while both systolic and diastolic blood pressures increased during the contraction in all subjects, the largest increase in systolic blood pressure was attained by the men in the older decades; there was no difference due to age in the diastolic blood pressures. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed2026

Prognostic Association of Handgrip-Defined Probable or Possible Sarcopenia Status and Polygenic Risk with 10-Year Fracture Incidence among Black, Hispanic, and White Women: A Women's Health Initiative Study.

PURPOSE: The Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) excludes objective skeletal muscle health and genetic variables. We evaluated the prognostic associations of handgrip-defined probable/possible sarcopenia and genome-wide polygenic scores (GPS) with 10-year fracture risk, and their incremental predictive value beyond FRAX across racial/ethnic groups and GPS strata. METHODS: We analyzed 2,051 postmenopausal women from the Women's Health Initiative. Race-specific analyses focused on Black, Hispanic, and White participants (n=2,009), excluding American Indian/Alaska Native and Asian/Pacific Islander individuals due to sparse fracture events. Sarcopenia status was operationalized by low handgrip strength alone via EWGSOP2 (<16.0 kg) and AWGS 2025 (<18.0-20.0 kg) criteria. Fine-Gray models estimated subdistribution hazard ratios (sHR), treating death as a competing risk. Predictive performance at 10 years was assessed using time-dependent AUC, Brier scores, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: Handgrip-defined probable or possible sarcopenia prevalence was 4.4% (EWGSOP2) and 6.4% (AWGS 2025). Black women demonstrated lower risk for major osteoporotic fractures (MOF) (adjusted sHR=0.19, 95% CI: 0.08-0.48) and hip fractures (adjusted sHR=0.07, 95% CI: 0.01-0.52) compared to White women. Neither sarcopenia status nor high GPS showed statistically significant independent associations with fractures after FRAX adjustment. Adding sarcopenia status to baseline FRAX (AUC: 0.71 for MOF; 0.69 for hip) yielded near-identical AUCs, Brier scores, and within-sample net benefit. CONCLUSION: Handgrip-defined probable/possible sarcopenia and current GPS do not provide independent or incremental predictive value beyond the clinical FRAX framework within this genomic sub-sample of older women.

FRAX↗

PubMed2026

Therapeutic Exercise Protocol During Hospitalization in Pediatric Oncohematological Patients: Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Leukemias, lymphomas, and central nervous system tumors are among the most common pediatric cancers and may lead to motor deficits, impaired balance, reduced muscle strength, fatigue, and decreased functional capacity. Early physiotherapy during hospitalization may help prevent inactivity and support functional preservation in this population. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a therapeutic exercise program on quality of life, muscle strength, fatigue, and functional capacity in hospitalized pediatric oncohematological patients. METHODS: Thirty participants aged 8-17 years with oncohematological diseases were randomized to an intervention group (IG) or a minimal active physiotherapy comparator group (CG). Assessments included the 6-min walk test, handgrip dynamometry, the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale, and the PedsQL Cancer Module at admission and discharge. The IG performed daily 25-min supervised sessions including aerobic, resistance, and breathing exercises with ambulation guidance, whereas the CG received breathing exercises and ambulation guidance. RESULTS: No significant group × time interactions were observed for total fatigue or its domains, overall quality of life or its assessed domains, handgrip strength, or six-minute walk test distance. Time-related changes were observed for some outcomes, but these occurred without evidence of differential change between groups and were not interpreted as effects of the structured exercise protocol. No intervention-related adverse events requiring permanent protocol discontinuation were recorded. CONCLUSION: The structured in-hospital therapeutic exercise protocol could be delivered under close clinical supervision without recorded intervention-related adverse events requiring permanent discontinuation. However, the structured protocol did not demonstrate superiority over the minimal active physiotherapy comparator for fatigue, quality of life, muscle strength, or functional capacity. These findings should be interpreted cautiously because of the small sample size, clinical heterogeneity, variable intervention exposure, and limited intervention-fidelity data. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC), RBR-8sxnfyd.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Impact on analgesia, diaphragmatic function, and recovery between erector spinae plane block versus superior trunk block in arthroscopic shoulder surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Effective analgesia and preservation of diaphragmatic function are key considerations in analgesia for shoulder surgery. The superior trunk block provides analgesia with reduced phrenic nerve involvement, while the erector spinae plane block offers minimal impact on diaphragm motion. This randomized controlled trial compared the analgesic efficacy, impact on diaphragmatic motion, and postoperative recovery between the two blocks. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery were randomized to receive either erector spinae plane block or superior trunk block. Primary outcomes were postoperative VAS and changes in diaphragmatic excursion. Secondary outcomes included Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scores, morphine-equivalent consumption, and the handgrip strength motor blockade. RESULTS: The superior trunk block resulted in significantly lower dynamic VAS at 1-h postoperatively (0.1 [0.0, 0.2] vs. 5.7 [4.0, 7.6]; p < 0.001) and reduced 24-h morphine consumption (7.8 [2.5, 15.0] mg vs. 12.7 [7.5, 17.3] mg; p = 0.038) compared to the erector spinae plane block. However, diaphragmatic excursion was better preserved in the erector spinae plane block group (8.37% ± 20.7% vs. -20.09% ± 22.2%; p < 0.001), with a lower incidence of partial hemidiaphragm paresis (3.3% vs. 46.7%; p < 0.001). At 24 h postoperatively, QoR-15 scores were higher in the superior trunk block group (p = 0.047), and no patient in either group developed handgrip motor blockade. CONCLUSIONS: Superior trunk block offers superior early postoperative analgesia and better overall recovery, while erector spinae plane block minimizes diaphragmatic impairment. However, the erector spinae plane block may represent an option only in carefully selected patients at high respiratory risk, acknowledging its significantly poorer early analgesic profile.

Humans↗

PubMed1975

Comparison of physiological responses of women and men to isometric exercise.

The volunteers for this study were 83 women, aged 19-65 yr, drawn from several different occupations. Three minutes after exerting maximal handgrip strength (MVC) each subject held a tension of 40 percent MVC to fatigue. Blood pressures and heart rates were measured before, during, and after the endurance of contraction. Age was associated with a reduction of strength of the women, whereas their endurance at 40 percent at 40 per cent MVC increased. There was evidence that menopause enhanced those age effects for strength and endurance. At rest, age was associated with a decreased heart rate. As expected, the heart rates of all the women increased during the endurance contraction. But that increase was greater for the younger than for the older women, thereby exaggerating the difference due to age already seen at rest. Systolic blood pressure at rest was higher with age and, in a similar manner, that relationship was also exaggerated throughout the isometric contraction. Diastolic blood pressure, however, was not changed with age at rest, and although the diastolic pressure increased during the isometric exercise, the rate of increase was unaffected by age. The results obtained are compared with those from a similarly large number of men examined in identical circumstances.

Aging↗

PubMed2026

Exerkine dysregulation links visceral adiposity to skeletal muscle impairment in end-stage heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: proteomic evidence for a cardio-adipose-muscle axis.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with profound alterations in body composition, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and impaired exercise capacity. Exerkines representing exercise-responsive signaling molecules released by skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and other organs may mediate systemic metabolic communication between tissues. However, their role in advanced HFrEF and their relationship with adiposity and skeletal muscle characteristics remain poorly understood. METHODS: We studied 73 patients with end-stage HFrEF and 16 healthy controls. Body composition was assessed using computed tomography, including visceral (VAT), subcutaneous (SAT), and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), as well as skeletal muscle quantity (psoas muscle index, PMI) and quality (psoas muscle density, PMD). Functional performance was evaluated using handgrip strength (HGT) and the 6-min walk test (6MWT). Circulating exerkines were quantified using the Olink technology. Associations between proteins and clinical variables were assessed using age- and creatinine-adjusted linear models with false discovery rate correction. RESULTS: Among patients with HFrEF, 36% were obese and 38% exhibited central obesity independent of BMI. Muscle strength and muscle quality were strongly associated with functional capacity. VAT correlated with muscle mass but not with muscle quality or performance. Compared with controls, HFrEF patients demonstrated elevated inflammatory and metabolic stress-related exerkines including CXCL8, CCL2, IL-6, TNF, IL-15, GDF15, FGF21, ANGPTL4, CTSB, DCN, and resistin. In contrast, proteins associated with muscle integrity and regenerative signaling (myostatin, BDNF, IL-7, SPARC) were significantly reduced. In HFrEF patients leptin strongly correlated with adiposity measures. Metabolic stress mediators (GDF15, IL-15, FGF21, CTSB) were inversely associated with muscle quality and functional performance, whereas myostatin positively correlated with muscle quality, strength, and exercise capacity. BDNF was inversely associated with frailty. CONCLUSIONS: Advanced HFrEF is characterized by a dysregulated exerkine network linking adiposity, skeletal muscle quality, and functional performance. Four biologically coherent axes were identified: a leptin-driven adiposity axis, a metabolic stress-muscle quality axis, a myostatin-related muscle function axis, and a neurotrophic frailty axis. These findings support the presence of a systemic cardio-adipose-muscle signaling network in end-stage HFrEF and identify candidate molecular mediators of sarcopenia and functional decline.

Humans↗

PubMed1978

Quantifying fatigue in working divers.

Thirty professional divers involved in training, bounce dives, working saturations, and deep experimental saturations were observed over a 1-month period. The subjects themselves performed simple twice-daily measurements of oral temperature, heart rate, breathhold time, handgrip strength, length and quality of sleep, and a subjective estimation of fatigue. The data were analysed with respect to the type of work done by the diver, separating diving from nondiving days. The results showed that subjective estimation of fatigue corresponded to the increment of evening oral temperature and heart rate over morning values. Both inspiratory and expiratory breathhold times decreased from morning to evening in those situations deemed most tiring by the divers. Sleep was generally of average duration and quality; however, diving during the daytime was associated with a decreased amount of sleep in the 24-h period including the following night. Sleep was also of poorer quality during periods of saturation diving. In addition to such group variations, individual divers showed significant performance changes on the various tests, demonstrating the value of this approach to the practical question of deciding when a man is too tired to dive safely. Extension of this method can, we hope, aid in the definition of safe working rotations for professional divers.

Adult↗

PubMed1977

Factors relating to the strength of male adolescents.

Factors relating to the strength of 53 postpubertal adolescent males have been examined. A strength index, composed of left and right handgrip and back strengths, was related to the following: anthropometric measurements and their derivatives; level of habitual activity; body shape as characterized by Heath-Carter and Sheldonian somatotype ratings; and anthropometric ratios. Strength was found to be positively related to all anthropometric measurements with the exception of skinfold thicknesses. When body weight was held constant, strength was positively related to arm circumference, bicondylar diameters of the humerus and femur, thigh volume, and biacromial diameter, and negatively related to percentage of fat. Strength was not related to the level of habitual activity. The relative contributions of overall body size and body shape to predictions of strength are approximately 57 and 47%. Measures of overall size appear to make no independent contribution to strength, beyond that contributed by limb segment volumes, or a combination of linear limb dimensions and measures of body shape.

Adolescent↗