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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Med.
Sec. Geriatric Medicine
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1429530
This article is part of the Research Topic Effects of Aging on Skeletal Muscle View all 9 articles

Exploring the Relationship Between Ultrasound Parameters and Muscle Strength in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis of Sarcopenia-Related Exercise Performance

Provisionally accepted
Han Yuan Han Yuan Maeng-Kyu Kim Maeng-Kyu Kim *
  • Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

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

    Introduction: Ultrasound (US) imaging has emerged as a promising tool for assessing age-related muscle changes. This meta-analysis aimed to comprehensively evaluate the associations between US parameters and muscle strength, as well as sarcopenia-related functional performance in older adults by integrating data from multiple studies.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase until June 2023. Studies reporting Pearson's correlation coefficients between US parameters (echo intens ity (EI), muscle thickness (MT), cross-sectional area (CSA), pinnations angle (PA), fascicle length (FL)) and measures of muscle strength or physical performance in older adults were included. Effect sizes were pooled using a random-effects model and presented in forest plots. Heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 , and publication bias was evaluated using Egger's test.Results: Twenty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis revealed moderate to strong correlations between EI, MT, and CSA with muscle strength. However, no significant associations were found between US parameters and gait speed. For chair stand tests, the strength of associations varied by test type, with weak correlations observed between echo intensity and muscle thickness with sit-to-stand tests. US parameters did not exhibit significant correlations with the Timed Up and Go test.US measurements of EI and MT showed moderate-strong associations with muscle strength and sarcopenia-related functional tests. Larger studies evaluating comprehensive US parameters longitudinally are needed to optimize sarcopenia diagnosis and management strategies

    Keywords: Ultrasonography, Sarcopenia, Muscle Strength, Physical functional performance, Older adult

    Received: 08 May 2024; Accepted: 09 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Yuan and Kim. 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: Maeng-Kyu Kim, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

    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.