Does sarcopenia go with rotator-cuff tendon trouble?
In 112 older adults, sarcopenia tracked more shoulder pain, thicker supraspinatus tendons (β=0.447), and lower tendon-to-muscle echogenicity, but not more rotator-cuff tears.
Source
Sarcopenia Is Associated With Increased Risks of Rotator Cuff Tendon Diseases Among Community-Dwelling Elders: A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Ultrasound Study
Study at a glance
- Design
- Cross-sectional — Community elders: quantitative shoulder ultrasound in 56 sarcopenic patients vs 56 sex- and age-matched controls, analysed with GEE
- N
- N=112 · 56 sarcopenic patients and 56 matched controls
- Population
- Community-dwelling older adults with vs without sarcopenia
- Outcome
- Shoulder pain, rotator-cuff tendon thickness/echotexture (ER_TM, ER_TT), and tendon tears
Structured fields used in claim comparison tables when every cited study has a complete layer.
What they did
Measured biceps and rotator-cuff tendon thickness and echogenicity ratios (vs muscle and subcutaneous tissue) with high-resolution ultrasound in 56 sarcopenic elders and 56 matched controls, then used GEE.
What they found
Sarcopenia associated with more shoulder pain, greater supraspinatus thickness (β=0.447, p<0.001), and lower ER_TM in biceps long head and cuff tendons. ER_TT in supraspinatus showed a negative trend (β=−0.097, p=0.070). Tear risk was not increased.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Cross-sectional ultrasound cannot prove sarcopenia causes tendinopathy; authors call for prospective cohorts.
Key terms
- Sarcopenia
- Aging-related loss of muscle mass and function, here in community elders.
- Rotator cuff
- Shoulder tendons (supraspinatus and others) imaged for thickness and tears.
- ER_TM
- Echogenicity ratio of tendon versus overlying muscle.
- ER_TT
- Echogenicity ratio of tendon versus subcutaneous tissue.
- GEE
- Generalized estimating equation used because two shoulders per person are clustered.
- Tendinopathy
- Degenerative tendon change (thicker, altered echo) short of a full tear.
Flashcards
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Common questions
Who was scanned?
56 sarcopenic patients and 56 sex- and age-matched controls.
Was shoulder pain more common?
Yes—higher prevalence in the sarcopenic group.
Key ultrasound change?
Thicker supraspinatus (β=0.447) and lower ER_TM.
More tears?
No significant increase in rotator-cuff tendon tears.
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