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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Cardiovasc. Med.
Sec. Cardiovascular Epidemiology and Prevention
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2025.1494635

Relationship Between Estimated Pulse Wave Velocity and the Risk of Future Sarcopenia in Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Adults: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Provisionally accepted
Dingding Song Dingding Song Jianghu Miao Jianghu Miao Yunzhu Zhang Yunzhu Zhang Aiguo Zhu Aiguo Zhu *
  • Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Pudong, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective:Sarcopenia, common among older adults, is associated with adverse health outcomes. This study explores the relationship between estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV), a marker of arterial stiffness, and sarcopenia to support the early diagnosis and prevention strategies. Methods:Using data from two waves (2011 and 2015) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we conducted a nationally representative cohort study. ePWV was calculated at baseline, and sarcopenia was identified based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria. We used multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses to investigate the ePWV-sarcopenia relationship. Results:Among 6,639 participants followed for 4 years, 11.1% were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Initial analyses indicated a positive correlation between ePWV and sarcopenia (β=1.35), which weakened after adjusting for confounders. RCS analysis demonstrated a non-linear relationship (P-non-linear <0.001), with sarcopenia risk peaking at an ePWV of 9.430 m/s. The highest ePWV quartile showed the lowest grip strength, the longest chair stand test time, and the highest sarcopenia prevalence (P <0.0001). Conclusions:In middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults, ePWV variations may be linked to sarcopenia risk, potentially serving as a predictive marker. The non-linear relationship indicates complex underlying mechanisms, meriting further research.

    Keywords: Sarcopenia, pulse wave velocity, China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, arterial stiffness, Middle-aged, older people

    Received: 12 Sep 2024; Accepted: 03 Feb 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Song, Miao, Zhang and Zhu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Aiguo Zhu, Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Hospital, Pudong, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.