AUTHOR=Xu Xiaohui , Qian Yidan , Jin Kejia , Chen Junpeng , Fu Jiayue , Chen Chengshui , Zhu Zaisheng 

TITLE=The impact of Helicobacter pylori infection on low skeletal muscle mass risk in Chinese women over 40: a cross-sectional analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1289909

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2023.1289909

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Sarcopenia can lead to significant personal, social, and economic burdens. The diagnosis of sarcopenia heavily relies on the identification of Low Skeletal Muscle Mass (LSMM), which is an independent predictor of frailty, disability, and increased risk of death among seniors. Women have physiologically lower levels of skeletal muscle mass than men, and female sarcopenia appears to be more influenced by menopause. They also tend to have higher body fat levels than man, which increases the risk of sarcopenia obesity. On another front, it’s also recognized that humans are largely prone to <italic>Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)</italic> infection, with global prevalence rates often surpassing 50%. Nevertheless, the interconnection between <italic>H. pylori</italic> infection and LSMM remains relatively unexplored. Hence, our study specifically targeted women as the research population and sought to explore several risk factors for LSMM. Additionally, we delved into the potential correlation between LSMM and <italic>H. pylori</italic> infection in women, hoping to gain insights into potential preventative measures or treatment options that may enhance the quality of life for women affected by sarcopenia.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>We conducted a cross-sectional study among women aged over 18 years undergoing physical examination. We performed 13C-urea breath test (UBT) for diagnosis of <italic>H. pylori</italic> infection and Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for the assessment of LSMM. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the associations of <italic>H. pylori</italic> infection with LSMM.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>This study enrolled 1984 Chinese women who were undergoing health check-ups. A univariate logistic regression analysis did not reveal a direct correlation between <italic>H. pylori</italic> infection and LSMM among this female population (OR=1.149, 95% CI 0.904-1.459, <italic>p</italic>=0.257). Yet, upon dividing the participants into age-based subgroups, an evident link was observed between <italic>H. pylori</italic> infection and LSMM in women aged 40 or above (OR=1.381, 95%CI 1.032-1.848, <italic>p</italic>= 0.030). After adjusting for variables including Age, BMI, TP, ALK, Cre, this relationship remained statistically relevant (OR=1.514, 95%CI 1.085-2.113, <italic>p</italic>= 0.015).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Women who are over 40 years old and currently infected with <italic>H. pylori</italic> have an increased risk of developing LSMM. Therefore, timely treatment for <italic>H. pylori</italic> eradication is recommended for this group of women to reduce the occurrence of LSMM.</p></sec>