Low muscle mass doubles cardiovascular death risk in individuals with diabetes, new research reveals

Recent findings presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Hamburg, Germany, have illuminated a significant connection between low muscle mass and a doubled risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in individuals with diabetes. Remarkably, this association remains independent of factors such as frailty, glycemic control, and microvascular complications, including retinopathy and nephropathy.

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) involving 1,514 adults with diabetes in the US. The study followed these participants for an average of 9.3 years, during which 413 deaths occurred (106 in the low muscle mass group and 307 in the normal muscle mass group). Of these deaths, 147 were due to CVD (42 in the low muscle mass group and 105 in the normal muscle mass group).

The analysis revealed that low muscle mass was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality. Participants with low muscle mass were 44% more likely to die from any cause during the follow-up period than those with normal muscle mass. Moreover, they were twice as likely to succumb to CVD as their counterparts with normal muscle mass.

Further analysis demonstrated that low muscle mass remained linked to all-cause mortality and CVD mortality, irrespective of HbA1c and microvascular complications. Additionally, this association with all-cause and CVD mortality persisted independently of frailty, as defined by a comprehensive frailty index encompassing 46 variables ranging from memory problems to hospital stays and blood test results.

Reference: DIABETOLOGIA

Meeting: Annual Meeting of The European Association For The Study of Diabetes (EASD)