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Health behaviour

Does sarcopenia go with rotator-cuff tendon trouble?

Han DS, Wu WT, Hsu PC, et al. · Frontiers in medicine · 2021

Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC

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.

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

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Key findings

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.

Methodology

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.

Limitations

Cross-sectional ultrasound cannot prove sarcopenia causes tendinopathy; authors call for prospective cohorts.

How this study connects

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