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BACKGROUND Adequate total and meal-specific protein intake is considered an important prerequisite to preserve appendicular lean mass (ALM) in older adults and to prevent sarcopenia. OBJECTIVES We analyzed the meal-specific protein intake across the main meals between participants with normal vs. low ALM to BMI ratio (ALMBMI). METHODS 782 participants [59.6% men; median 69 (IQR: 65, 71) y] of the Berlin Aging Study II have been included in this analysis. ALM was assessed by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Low lean mass was defined as ALMBMI using recommended sex-specific cut-offs. A 5-day nutritional protocol was used to assess total and meal-specific protein intake. RESULTS Median total protein intake was 0.89 (IQR: 0.74, 1.05) g/kg/d body weight (BW) in participants with low ALMBMI and 1.02 (IQR: 0.86, 1.21) g/kg BW in participants with normal ALMBMI (P

Statine zahlen zu den am haufigsten verordneten Medikamenten deutschlandweit. Ihr Nutzen in der Senkung des kardiovaskularen Risikos ist unbestritten. Dennoch klagen viele Patienten uber Nebenwirkungen unter Statintherapie, wozu insbesondere statinassoziierte Muskelsymptome (SAMS) zahlen. Diese sind trotz ihrer relativen Haufigkeit schwer zu erfassen und objektiv zu diagnostizieren, da der Zeitraum bis zum ersten Auftreten von Symptomen, die Art der Beschwerden und der Schweregrad der Muskelprobleme sehr stark variieren. In diesem narrativen Review werden die Ursachen der SAMS sowie neue Moglichkeiten zur Diagnostik und Therapie zusammengefasst.

The cardiac muscle has the ability to adapt to different loading conditions. We analyzed the associations of the age-related decreasing handgrip strength (HGS), a marker of muscular fitness, on cardiac structure and function in a community-based sample.We performed cross-sectional analyses of 4646 subjects (2554 women; 55.0%) aged 20 to 93 years from two independent cohorts of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-2 and SHIP-TREND-0). We analyzed the associations of HGS with structural and functional left and right ventricular (LV and RV) and left atrial (LA) parameters as determined by echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well with log-transformed NT-proBNP values using multivariable-adjusted linear regression models.MRI data showed that a 1 kg lower HGS was associated with a 0.40 mL (95% confidence interval: 0.26 to 0.54; p 0.001) lower LV end-diastolic volume, a 0.011 mm (0.005 to 0.018; p = 0.001) lower LV wall-thickness, a 0.59 g (0.43 to 0.75; p 0.001) lower LV mass, a 0.58 mL/beat (0.43 to 0.74; p 0.001) lower LV stroke volume, a 0.03 L/min (0.02 to 0.04; p 0.001) lower LV cardiac output, a 0.48 mL (0.27 to 0.68; p 0.001) lower LA end-diastolic volume, and a 1.02 mL (0.71 to 1.32) lower RV end-diastolic volume. Similar findings were observed for echocardiographic parameters. Moreover, lower HGS was associated with higher echocardiographic LV diastolic stiffness and NT-proBNP levels.In this large population-based sample, lower muscular fitness as assessed by HGS was associated with lower LV wall thickness and mass as well as with smaller chamber size, stroke volume and cardiac output of the LV, LA and RV. Moreover, HGS was inversely related to LV diastolic stiffness and NT-proBNP values. These outcomes might demonstrate the effects of an aging-related decrease in physical activity and lower muscular fitness on the heart - "the sedentary's heart".

Contains fulltext : 228447.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) We examined whether sleep quality and quantity are associated with cortical and memory changes in cognitively healthy participants across the adult lifespan. Associations between self-reported sleep parameters (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) and longitudinal cortical change were tested using five samples from the Lifebrain consortium (n = 2205, 4363 MRIs, 18-92 years). In additional analyses, we tested coherence with cell-specific gene expression maps from the Allen Human Brain Atlas, and relations to changes in memory performance. "PSQI # 1 Subjective sleep quality" and "PSQI #5 Sleep disturbances" were related to thinning of the right lateral temporal cortex, with lower quality and more disturbances being associated with faster thinning. The association with "PSQI #5 Sleep disturbances" emerged after 60 years, especially in regions with high expression of genes related to oligodendrocytes and S1 pyramidal neurons. None of the sleep scales were related to a longitudinal change in episodic memory function, suggesting that sleep-related cortical changes were independent of cognitive decline. The relationship to cortical brain change suggests that self-reported sleep parameters are relevant in lifespan studies, but small effect sizes indicate that self-reported sleep is not a good biomarker of general cortical degeneration in healthy older adults. 17 p.

Purpose: Age-related changes affect vitamin D absorption and metabolism. Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations have been reported as risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, recent evaluations suggest this association might be explained by obesity or insulin resistance (IR) in subjects with MetS. Our aim was to analyze associations between vitamin D insufficiency and MetS in a young cohort without diabetes and two senior cohorts with and without diabetes. Methods: Four hundred sixteen young and 1357 older BASE-II participants were analyzed. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) was defined according to European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, MetS as suggested by International Diabetes Federation/American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (IDF/AHA/NHLBI 2009). Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations

BACKGROUND: Walking ability is an important prerequisite for activity, social participation and independent living. While in most healthy adults, this ability can be assumed as given, limitations in walking ability occur with increasing age. Furthermore, slow walking speed is linked to several chronic conditions and overall morbidity. Measurements of gait parameters can be used as a proxy to detect functional decline and onset of chronic conditions. Up to now, gait characteristics used for this purpose are measured in standardized laboratory settings. There is some evidence, however, that long-term measurements of gait parameters in the living environment have some advantages over short-term laboratory measurements. METHODS: We evaluated cross-sectional data from an accelerometric sensor worn in a subgroup of 554 participants of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). Data from the two BASE-II age groups (age between 22-36 years and 60-79 years) were used for the current analysis of accelerometric data for a minimum of two days and a maximum of ten days were available. Real world walking speed, number of steps, maximum coherent distance and total distance were derived as average data per day. Linear regression analyses were performed on the different gait parameters in order to identify significant determinants. Additionally, Mann-Whitney-U-tests were performed to detect sex-specific differences. RESULTS: Age showed to be significantly associated with real world walking speed and with the total distance covered per day, while BMI contributed negatively to the number of walking steps, maximum coherent distance and total distance walked. Additionally, sex was associated with walking steps. However, R2-values for all models were low. Overall, women had significantly more walking steps and a larger coherent distance per day when compared to men. When separated by age group, this difference was significant only in the older participants. Additionally, walking speed was significantly higher in women compared to men in the subgroup of older people. CONCLUSIONS: Age- and sex-specific differences have to be considered when objective gait parameters are measured, e.g. in the context of clinical risk assessment. For this purpose normative data, differentiating for age and sex would have to be established to allow reliable classification of long-term measurements of gait.

BackgroundOlder persons with poor sleep are more likely to develop neurodegenerative disease, but the causality underlying this association is unclear. To move towards explanation, we examine whether sleep quality and quantity are similarly associated with brain changes across the adult lifespan.MethodsAssociations between self-reported sleep parameters (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index;PSQI) and longitudinal cortical change were tested using five samples from theLifebrainconsortium (n=2205, 4363 MRIs, 18-92 years). Analyses were augmented by considering episodic memory change, gene expression from the Allen Human Brain Atlas, and amyloid-beta (Aβ) accumulation (n=1980).ResultsPSQI components sleep problems and low sleep quality were related to thinning of the right lateral temporal cortex. The association with sleep problems emerged after 60 years, especially in regions with high expression of genes related to oligodendrocytes and S1 pyramidal neurons. BMI and symptoms of depression had negligible effects. Sleep problems were neither related to longitudinal change in episodic memory function nor to Aβ accumulation, suggesting that sleep-related cortical changes were independent of AD neuropathology and cognitive decline.ConclusionWorse self-reported sleep in later adulthood was associated with more cortical thinning in regions of high expression of genes related to oligodendrocytes and S1 pyramidal neurons, but not to Aβ accumulation or memory decline. The relationship to cortical brain change suggests that self-reported sleep parameters are relevant in lifespan studies, but small effect sizes, except for a few restricted regions, indicate that self-reported sleep is not a good biomarker of general cortical degeneration in healthy older adults.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Diabetes mellitus Typ 2 (T2DM) und Sarkopenie nehmen mit steigendem Alter in ihrer Prävalenz zu und können langfristig betrachtet jeweils zu erheblichen gesundheitlichen und funktionellen Einschränkungen führen. Während eine zunehmende Insulinresistenz bei abnehmender Muskelmasse plausibel erscheint, sind umgekehrt auch glukotoxische negative Effekte auf die Skelettmuskulatur im Sinne einer sekundären Sarkopenie denkbar. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, den Zusammenhang zwischen Sarkopenie, Insulinresistenz und T2DM bei älteren Menschen zu untersuchen. Methoden Untersucht wurden 1555 Probanden der Berliner Altersstudie II (BASE-II) mit einem durchschnittlichen Alter von 68 ± 4 Jahren. Die Diagnose T2DM wurde basierend auf der Anamnese sowie oralem Glukosetoleranztest und HbA1c-Wert nach ADA-Kriterien gestellt und die Insulinresistenz wurde via Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) und Insulinsensitivitätsindex nach Matsuda (ISI) eingeschätzt. Die appendikuläre Skelettmuskelmasse (ALM) wurde mittels Dual-Röntgen-Absorptiometrie (DXA) und eine Sarkopenie mithilfe der anhand des Body-Mass-Index (BMI) korrigierten Muskelmasse (ALM/BMI) nach den Cut-off-Werten des FNIH Sarcopenia Project bestimmt. Gruppenvergleiche wurden mittels Kruskal-Wallis-Test berechnet, und der Zusammenhang zwischen Diabetes mellitus und Sarkopenie bzw. ALM und Insulinresistenz wurde mittels geeigneter Regressionsmodelle überprüft. Ergebnisse 25,2 % der insgesamt 160 Probanden mit T2DM hatten bereits eine Sarkopenie. Sarkopenisch-adipöse Probanden wiesen im Vergleich zu nur adipösen, nur sarkopenen oder weder adipösen noch sarkopenen Probanden im Median einen niedrigeren ISI und einen höheren HOMA-IR auf (jeweils p Diskussion Sarkopenie ist sowohl mit Insulinresistenz als auch T2DM assoziiert. Die Frage bzgl. der Kausalität ist aufgrund des querschnittlichen Designs der Studie nicht zu beantworten, jedoch sollte eine mögliche Rolle des T2DM als sekundäre Sarkopenieursache berücksichtigt und weiter untersucht werden. Im Hinblick auf mögliche Folgen erscheinen die Identifizierung von Risikopatienten mit kombiniertem Auftreten von Sarkopenie und Insulinresistenz und die Evaluation basaler präventiver Maßnahmen wie gezieltes körperliches Training und angepasste Ernährung ein weiterführendes sinnvolles Ziel.

Glucose regulation is a key aspect of healthy aging and has been linked to brain functioning and cognition. Here we examined the role of glucose regulation for within-person longitudinal trajectories of well-being. We applied growth models to data from the Berlin Aging Study II (N = 955), using insulin resistance as an index of glucoregulatory capacity. We found that poor glucose regulation (higher insulin resistance) was consistently associated with lower levels of well-being among older men but not women. Our study provides novel evidence for the relevance of glucose regulation for well-being among older men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Sex-specific differences in factors associated with aging and lifespan, such as sarcopenia and disease development, are increasingly recognized. The study aims to assess sex-specific aspects of the association between vitamin D insufficiency and low lean mass as well as between vitamin D insufficiency and the frailty phenotype.A total of 1102 participants (51% women) from the Berlin Aging Study II were included in this cross-sectional study. Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as a 25(OH)D level50 nmol/L. Lean mass was assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and corrected by body mass index. Low lean mass was defined according to the Foundations for the National Institutes of Health Sarcopenia Project criteria (appendicular lean mass/body mass index0.789 in men and0.512 in women) and frailty defined according to the Fried criteria.In a risk factor-adjusted analysis, the association of vitamin D insufficiency was significantly influenced by sex (P for interaction0.001). Men with vitamin D insufficiency had 1.8 times higher odds of having low lean mass, with no association between vitamin D insufficiency and low lean mass in women. Participants with vitamin D insufficiency had 1.5 higher odds of being prefrail/frail with no significant effect modification by sex.We found notable sex-specific differences in the association of vitamin D insufficiency with low lean mass but not of vitamin D insufficiency with frailty. Vitamin D might play a relevant role in the loss of lean mass in men but not women and might be a biological marker of an unfavorable aging process associated with early development of frailty regardless of sex.

Background: Untreated overt hypo- and hyperthyroidism can lead to detrimental effects on muscle tissue and physical performance, but it is still unclear whether subclinical hypo- or hyperthyroidism...

Background: Frailty and the metabolic Syndrome (MetS) are frequently found in old subjects and have been associated with increased risk of functional decline and dependency. Moreover, central characteristics of the MetS like inflammation, obesity and insulin resistance have been associated with the frailty syndrome. However, the relationship between MetS and frailty has not yet been studied in detail. Aim of the current analysis within the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) was to explore associations between MetS and frailty taking important co-variables such as nutrition (total energy intake, dietary vitamin D intake), physical activity and vitamin D-status into account. Methods: Complete cross-sectional data of 1,486 old participants (50.2% women, 68.7 (65.8-71.3) years) of BASE-II were analyzed. MetS was defined following the joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity in 2009. Frailty was defined according to the Fried criteria. Limitations in physical performance were assessed via questionnaire, muscle mass was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and grip strength using a Smedley dynamometer. Adjusted regression models were calculated to assess the association between MetS and Frailty. Results: MetS was prevalent in 37.6% of the study population and 31.9% were frail or prefrail according to the here calculated frailty index. In adjusted models the odds of being frail/prefrail were increased about 50% with presence of the MetS (OR1.5; 95% CI 1.2,1.9; p= 0.002). Moreover the odds of being prefrail/frail were significantly increased with low HDL-C (OR: 1.5 (95%CI: 1.0-2.3); p = 0.037); and elevated waist circumference (OR: 1.65 (95%CI: 1.1-2.3); p = 0.008). Conclusion: The current analysis supports an association between MetS and frailty. There are various metabolic, immune and endocrine alterations in MetS that also play a role in mechanisms underlying the frailty syndrome. To what extent cytokine alterations, inflammatory processes, vitamin D supply and hormonal changes in age and in special metabolic states as MetS influence the development of frailty should be subject of further research.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Als metabolisches Syndrom (MetS) wird ein Symptomkomplex metabolischer Veränderungen bezeichnet, der eng mit Insulinresistenz (IR) assoziiert ist. Cutoff Werte für HOMA-IR, einem Surrogatparameter für IR, zur Identifikation von Probanden mit MetS sind nicht etabliert. Methoden: Insgesamt lagen Querschnittsdaten von 446 Studienteilnehmern im jüngeren Lebensalter (53% Frauen, 28±3 Jahre alt) und 1271 im höheren Lebensalter (52% Frauen, 68±4 Jahre alt) ohne Diabetes vor. MetS wurde nach den IDF/AHA/NHLBI (International Diabetes Foundation/American Heart Association/National Health, Lung and Blood Institute) Kriterien von 2009 definiert. Mittels ROC-Analyse wurden Cutoff-Werte für HOMA-IR berechnet, oberhalb derer Probanden mit MetS mit höchster Sensitivität und Spezifität erkannt werden konnten. Zuletzt wurden binär logistische Regressionsmodelle berechnet. Ergebnisse: Die Prävalenz von MetS betrug 6,7% bei den jungen und 28,3% bei den älteren Probanden. Cutoff-Werte für HOMA-IR, oberhalb derer MetS identifiziert werden konnte, waren HOMA-IR >1,88 (bei jungen Studienteilnehmern; Sensitivität 80%, Spezifität 85,3%, positiv prädiktiver Wert 80%, negativ prädiktiver Wert 15%) und HOMA-IR >1,98 (bei den älteren Studienteilnehmern; Sensitivität 73,6%, Spezifität 72,9%, positiv prädiktiver Wert 74%, negativ prädiktiver Wert 27%). Patienten oberhalb dieser Cutoff-Werte hatten im höchst adjustierten (Alter, BMI, Geschlecht, körperliche Aktivität und getrennt nach Altersgruppen) binären Regressionsmodell Odds von 5,7 (95% CI: 4,1–7,9) bei älteren und 22,2 (95% CI: 7,0–70,5) bei jüngeren Studienteilnehmern, MetS aufzuweisen. Schlussfolgerungen: Cutoff-Werte für HOMA-IR sind im Klinikalltag nicht etabliert, könnten aber herangezogen werden, um Personen mit MetS zu identifizieren und gegebenenfalls frühzeitig eine Therapie einzuleiten, auch wenn aufgrund der negativen prädiktiven Werte eine Diagnostik des MetS durch HOMA-IR allein nicht erfolgen kann.

Background: The length of the chromosome ends, telomeres, is widely accepted as a biomarker of aging. However, the dynamic of the relationship between telomere length and hematopoietic parameters in the normal aging process, which is of particular interest with respect to age-related anemia, is not well understood. Objective: We have analyzed the relationship between relative leukocyte telomere length (rLTL) and several hematological parameters in the older group of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) participants. This paper also compares rLTL between both BASE-II age groups (22-37 and 60-83 years). Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes of BASE-II participants and used to determine rLTL by a quantitative PCR protocol. Standard methods were used to determine blood parameters, and the WHO criteria were used to identify anemic participants. Results: Telomere length data were available for 444 younger participants (28.4 ± 3.1 years old; 52% women) and 1,460 older participants (68.2 ± 3.7 years old; 49.4% women). rLTL was significantly shorter in BASE-II participants of the older group (p = 3.7 × 10-12) and in women (p = 4.2 × 10-31). rLTL of older men exhibited a statistically significant, positive partial correlation with mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH; p = 0.012) and MCH concentration (p = 0.002). While these correlations were only observed in men, the rLTL of older women was negatively correlated with the number of thrombocytes (p = 0.015) in the same type of analysis. Among all older participants, 6% met the criteria to be categorized as ‘anemic'; however, there was no association between anemia and rLTL. Conclusion: In the present study, we have detected isolated correlations between rLTL and hematological parameters; however, in all cases, rLTL explained only a small part of the variation of the analyzed parameters. In disagreement with some other studies showing similar data, we interpret the association between rLTL and some of the hematological parameters studied here to be at most marginal. This applies also to the role of rLTL in anemia, at least in the age group investigated here. Since BASE-II is yet another large cohort in which women have on average shorter telomeres than men, this finding will be addressed in the discussion with respect to the ongoing debate on gender differences in telomere length.

Problematic drinking behavior is common in the old and negative consequences of hypoglycemic episodes in type 2 diabetes (T2D) as a result of alcohol consumption have been described previously. Although, associations between such hypoglycemic episodes with reduced muscle mass are discussed, it is uncertain if problematic drinking behavior drives decline of muscle mass and/or muscle function. In the current study, we analyzed data of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) to examine the association of problematic drinking behavior with muscle mass and grip strength in T2D. Cross-sectional data of 1451 old BASE-II participants (51.6% women; 60–84 years old) were analyzed. Problematic drinking behavior was assessed using the Alcohol Use Identification Test (AUDIT). Muscle mass was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), grip strength using a Smedley dynamometer. Adjusted regression models were calculated to assess the association of problematic drinking with muscle mass and grip strength. Problematic drinking was evident in 11.2% of BASE-II participants and in 12.5% of BASE-II participants diabetes was evident. In the fully adjusted model (adjusted for age, trunk fat mass, HbA1c, antidiabetic medication, TSH, CRP, testosterone, physical inactivity, depression (GDS-score), morbidities, smoking status and total energy intake/day, we found a statistically significant association between problematic drinking and muscle mass (β-3.7, SE: 1.3, R2 0.481, partial eta square 0.166, observed power 0.816, p-value 0.005) and grip strength (β-8.1, SE: 3.3, R2 0.222, partial eta square 0.134, observed power 0.670, p-value 0.018) in old diabetic men. These associations were not evident in women and subjects without T2D. Problematic drinking behavior was associated with lower muscle mass and grip strength in old men with diabetes. This topic should be addressed in these subjects as they could be at increased risk for early functional decline, sarcopenia or frailty.

Background: Mild-to-moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD G3a) is prevalent in older adults. Substantial evidence suggests that individuals with advanced CKD face a high risk for common geriatric conditions, like functional impairment and cognitive decline, whereas the relationships between mild-to-moderate CKD and functional impairment and cognitive decline, but also poor nutritional status and mood disorders, are still unclear. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore associations between mild-to-moderate CKD and impairments in the core domains of geriatric assessment (GA) in a large cohort of community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of 1,476 participants of the Berlin Aging Study II. Study participants were stratified as to presence or absence of CKD G3a (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 45-59 mL/min/1.73 m2 vs. eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2). GA comprised the following instruments: the Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), the Timed up and Go (TUG), the Tinetti test (Tinetti), the Mini-Mental-State Examination (MMSE), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). We used logistic regression models to estimate multivariable-adjusted associations between CKD G3a and impairments in the respective domains. Results: A total of 282 subjects with mild-to-moderate CKD (CKD G3a) were identified (19.1%). Overall, the prevalence of impairments identified was higher among subjects with compared to without CKD G3a (21 vs. 15.9%, p = 0.043). In multivariable-adjusted models, CKD G3a was consistently associated with increased odds of an impaired gait performance as to the TUG (adjusted odds ratio 2.06, 95% CI 1.04-4.09). In contrast, on average, individuals with and without CKD G3a did not differ as to their results in the MMSE, the ADL, the MNA, and the GDS. Conclusion: GA identified impairments in 21 versus 15.9% of older adults with and without mild-to-moderate CKD, respectively. However, except for an increased likelihood of impaired gait performance (TUG) with mild-to-moderate CKD, we did not find independent associations between mild-to-moderate CKD and geriatric conditions.

Inverse relationships have been described between the largely genetically determined levels of serum/plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], type 2 diabetes (T2D) and fasting insulin. Here, we aimed to evaluate the nature of these relationships with respect to causality. We tested whether we could replicate the recent negative findings on causality between Lp(a) and T2D by employing the Mendelian randomization (MR) approach using cross-sectional data from three independent cohorts, Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II; n = 2012), LIFE-Adult (n = 3281) and LIFE-Heart (n = 2816). Next, we explored another frequently discussed hypothesis in this context: Increasing insulin levels during the course of T2D disease development inhibits hepatic Lp(a) synthesis and thereby might explain the inverse Lp(a)–T2D association. We used two fasting insulin-associated variants, rs780094 and rs10195252, as instrumental variables in MR analysis of n = 4937 individuals from BASE-II and LIFE-Adult. We further investigated causality of the association between fasting insulin and Lp(a) by combined MR analysis of 12 additional SNPs in LIFE-Adult. While an Lp(a)–T2D association was observed in the combined analysis (meta-effect of OR [95% CI] = 0.91 [0.87–0.96] per quintile, p = 1.3x10-4), we found no evidence of causality in the Lp(a)–T2D association (p = 0.29, fixed effect model) when using the variant rs10455872 as the instrumental variable in the MR analyses. Likewise, no evidence of a causal effect of insulin on Lp(a) levels was found. While these results await confirmation in larger cohorts, the nature of the inverse Lp(a)–T2D association remains to be elucidated.

Pharmacological options for the treatment of sarcopenia currently do not exist. However, off-label treatment options of some established drugs have been suggested. The aim of this study was to assess differences in various muscle and physical performance parameters in relation to the intake of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors in a cohort of community-dwelling older people. Eight hundred and thirty-eight participants from the Berlin Aging Study-II (BASE-II) were included. Appendicular lean mass was assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and related to height and body mass index. Muscle strength was measured by grip strength and related to muscle mass (arm muscle quality) and functional status was assessed via the timed “Up and Go” test. Users of ACE inhibitors had higher lean mass related to height but significantly lower lean mass related to body mass index (p = 0.001 for women and p

Background: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic changes which is associated with insulin resistance (IR). Cutoff values for the homeostasis model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) – a surrogate marker of IR-to identify subjects with MetS are not established. Methods: Cross-sectional data of 446 younger (53% women, 28±3 years old) and 1271 elderly study participants (52% women, 68±4 years old) without diabetes were available for the current analysis. MetS was defined according to the IDF/AHA/NHLBI (International Diabetes Federation/American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) criteria of 2009. Using receiving operating characteristics (ROC) analysis cutoff values for HOMA-IR were calculated above which participants with MetS could be identified with highest sensitivity and specificity. Finally, binary logistic regression models were calculated. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 6.7% in young and 28.3% in elderly subjects. HOMA-IR cutoff values for the detection of MetS were HOMA-IR >1.88 (young subjects; sensitivity 80%, specificity 85.3%, positive predictive value 80%, negative predictive value 15%) and HOMAIR >1.98 (elderly subjects; sensitivity 73.6%, specificity 72.9%, positive predictive value 74%, negative predictive value 27%). In adjusted regression models [age, body mass index (BMI), sex, physical activity and age groups] subjects above these cutoff-values had odds of 5.7 [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.1–7.9] in elderly and 22.2 (95% CI: 7.0–70.5) in younger study participants to have MetS. Conclusions: Cutoff values for HOMA-IR are not established in clinical practice; however, they could be used to identify subjects with MetS, even if a diagnosis of MetS cannot made based solely on HOMA-IR considering the negative predictive values.

Background Loss of muscle mass, particularly in old age, can restrict mobility and physical function. Sleep is thought to play a key role in the maintenance of muscle mass; sleep disturbances have a prevalence of 6–30% in Germany. In this study, based on data from the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II), we analyze the relationship between sleep efficiency and quality on the one hand, and muscle mass and muscle function on the other.

Background: Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) has been linked to metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. However, results regarding the metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of at least 3 of 5 cardiovascular risk parameters with potentially contradictory effects on BMD are still inconclusive. Objective: We investigated the effect of MetS and its single parameters on BMD at 3 sites in community-dwelling older subjects. Methods: 1,402 subjects (51.1% female, 68 ± 4 years old) from the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) were included. MetS was defined as suggested by IDF/NHLBI/AHA. Insulin resistance (IR) was assessed by the homeostasis model of IR. BMD (lumbar spine, femur neck, hip) and trunk fat were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Osteoporosis was defined by a T score of ≤-2.5. Results: MetS was present in 29.6% of women and 41.7% of men. In regression models, we observed a positive association of MetS with the BMD of the lumbar spine (p = 0.005) and hip (p = 0.028) in women even after adjustment for risk factors, but no effect of the single parameters apart from IR. In contrast, there was no association between MetS and BMD in men. However, higher trunk fat and higher waist circumference were associated with lower levels of BMD in men with or without MetS (p < 0.05). Conclusion: We obtained different results in men and women. In women, the positive though slight effect of MetS on BMD could not be explained by single MetS components apart from IR. In men, central obesity was negatively associated with BMD, suggesting that the metabolic effects driven by visceral fat have a negative impact.

Reduced pulmonary function and elevated serum cholesterol levels are recognized risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Currently, there is some controversy concerning relationships between cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, serum triglycerides and lung function. However, most previous studies compared patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with healthy controls, and only a small number examined this relationship in population-based cohorts. Moreover, lipoprotein a [Lp(a)], another lipid parameter independently associated with cardiovascular diseases, appears not to have been addressed at all in studies of lung function at the population level. Here, we determined relationships between lung function and several lipid parameters including Lp(a) in 606 older community-dwelling participants (55.1% women, 68±4 years old) from the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). We found a significantly lower forced expiration volume in 1 second (FEV1) in men with low Lp(a) concentrations (t-test). This finding was further substantiated by linear regression models adjusting for known covariates, showing that these associations are statistically significant in both men and women. According to the highest adjusted model, men and women with Lp(a) levels below the 20th percentile had 217.3ml and 124.2ml less FEV1 and 239.0ml and 135.2ml less FVC, respectively, compared to participants with higher Lp(a) levels. The adjusted models also suggest that the known strong correlation between pro-inflammatory parameters and lung function has only a marginal impact on the Lp(a)-pulmonary function association. Our results do not support the hypothesis that higher Lp(a) levels are responsible for the increased CVD risk in people with reduced lung function, at least not in the group of community-dwelling older people studied here.

Background. Excessive loss of muscle mass in advanced age is a major risk factor for decreased physical ability and falls. Physical activity and exercise training are typically recommended to maintain muscle mass and prevent weakness. How exercise in different stages of life relates to muscle mass, grip strength, and risk for weakness in later life is not well understood.Methods. Baseline data on 891 participants at least 60 years old from the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) were analyzed. Linear and logistic regressions of self-reported exercise in early adulthood, old age, or both on appendicular lean mass (ALM), grip strength, and a risk indicator for weakness (ALM/ body mass index cutoff) were calculated. In addition, treatment bounds are analyzed to address potential confounding using a method proposed by Oster.Results. Analyses indicate that for men only, continuous exercise is significantly associated with higher muscle mass (SD = 0.24, p < .001), grip strength (SD = 0.18, p < .05), and lower risk for clinically relevant low muscle mass (odds ratio = 0.36, p < .01). Exercise in early adulthood alone is not significantly associated with muscle mass or strength. No significant associations were observed for women.Conclusions. The results of the current study underscore the importance of health programs to promote physical activity with a focus on young adults, a group known to be affected from environmentally associated decline of physical activity, and to promote the continuation of physical exercise from early adulthood into later life in general. This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Journals of Gerontology Series A following peer review. The version of record Exercise at Different Ages and Appendicular Lean Mass and Strength in Later Life : Results from the Berlin Aging Study II / Peter Eibich, Nikolaus Buchmann, Martin Kroh, Gert G. Wagner, Elisabeth Steinhagen-Thiessen, Ilja Demuth, Kristina Norman. In: Journals of Gerontology Series A 71 (2016), 4, S. 515-520 is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glv171

Background The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors which has been linked with a decline in muscle mass. However, with a variety of sarcopenia definitions, it is unclear which approach is suitable to detect reduced muscle mass in subjects with MetS who are frequently characterized by an increased fat mass and higher body weight. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional data of 1,402 (51.1% female; 69±3.7 years) old community-dwelling subjects of the Berlin Aging Study II. MetS was defined according to the guidelines of the International Diabetes Federation/American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (IDF/AHA/NHLBI, 2009). Sarcopenia was defined as suggested by Baumgartner et al. (low appendicular lean mass corrected for height, ALM/HT(2)) and according to standardized residuals following the approach suggested by Newman et al., which corrects appendicular lean mass (ALM) for weight and height. Results MetS was identified in 35% of the participants, 25.6% had sarcopenia according to ALM/HT(2), 20% according to the residual approach. We compared the two operational parameters and found that the majority of physical and metabolic parameters were more impaired and self-reported difficulties in physical performance were greater in individuals defined sarcopenic according to residuals than subjects who were sarcopenic according to a low ALM/HT(2). Conclusion Our results indicate that an approach to define sarcopenia which corrects ALM both for height and weight is more suitable to detect increased physical limitations as well as higher metabolic impairment, compared to adjustment of ALM only for height.

Backgroung: Alcohol consumption is particular serious in diabetic subjects (T2D), as hypoglycemic states can occure due to an inhibition of hepatic glycolysis. Muscle is supplied with energy by the breakdown of glucose, frequent episodes of hypoglycemic conditions could result in muscle breakdown. Aim of the current analysis within the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) was to analyze the association of problematic drinking behaviour to muscle mass and muscle function in diabetes.

Background. F or prevention and treatment of sarcopenia, defined as a decline in lean mass, reliable diagnostic criteria and cutpoints reflecting a clinically relevant threshold are indispensable. As of yet, various parameters have been proposed but no gold standard exists. The aim of this study was to compare cutpoints of appendicular lean mass related to body mass index (ALM BMI ) or height (ALM/height 2 ) regarding their association with self-reported physical limitations and frailty status in a sample of community-dwelling older adults. Methods. A total of 1,343 participants from the Berlin Aging Study II were included. ALM index was assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Limitations in physical performance were assessed via questionnaire and frailty status was defined according to the Fried criteria. Results. In a risk factor -adjusted analysis, participants with an ALM BMI below the cutpoints had 1.4–2.8 times higher odds of difficulties in several domains of physical activity (p = .031 to p < .0001) compared with participants with normal ALM BMI . In participants with low ALM/height 2 , no associations with physical limitations were found. Moreover, the odds of being prefrail/frail were statistically significant for the low ALM BMI group only (odds ratio = 2.403, 95% confidence interval: 1.671–3.454, p < .0001) and not for the low ALM/height 2 group. Conclusions. This study showed striking dif ferences between the two operational criteria ALM/ height 2 and ALM BMI concerning their association with physical limitations and prefrailty/frailty. The low ALM BMI cutpoints seem suitable to detect patients at risk for negative outcomes such as frailty who might benefit from interventions targeted at improving lean mass.

Previous studies have indicated a relationship between type II diabetes (T2D), metabolic syndrome (MetS) and pulmonary function but the pathological mechanism responsible remains unclear. The aim of the current analysis within the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) was to investigate the influence of abdominal obesity and muscle mass on pulmonary function in subjects with T2D and MetS. A prebronchodilator pulmonary function test was carried out in 1369 subjects from the BASE-II (mean age 69 ± 4 years, 51.6 % women) where T2D was defined according to the German Diabetes Association (DDG) criteria, MetS according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF), American Heart Association (AHA) and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) criteria from 2009 and pulmonary obstruction (obstructive lung disease, OLD) by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria of a forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 and forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio < 70 %. Of the subjects 50.9 % achieved a sufficient level of quality according to the GOLD guidelines and were analyzed with respect to the research question. The FEV1 and FVC were decreased in study participants with T2D and MetS and the lung volume decreased with an increasing number of MetS criteria. Parameters of body composition, such as waist circumference and muscle mass had a significant influence on lung volumes, independent of MetS or T2D. In this study MetS and T2D were associated with decreased lung volumes; however, muscle mass and abdominal obesity proved to be the most important factors influencing pulmonary function and could thus form the link between pulmonary function and MetS or T2D. Measurement of grip strength for the determination of muscle mass and waist circumference for determining abdominal obesity could contribute to the interpretation of the results of pulmonary function tests.

Aims/Hypothesis The increasing number of people with dementia and cognitive impairments makes it essential to detect and prevent modifiable risk factors of dementia. This study focuses on type 2 diabetes mellitus, especially on undiagnosed cases and their increased risk of cognitive impairment. Furthermore, the potential of physical activity and social integration to moderate the relation between diabetes and cognitive impairment is assessed. Methods We used cross-sectional data from 1299 participants of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) aged between 60 to 84 years and performed logistic regression models to analyze the association of diabetes status, physical activity, and cohabitation status with poor cognitive performance. Cognitive performance was measured with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD)-Plus test battery. Results Undiagnosed diabetes (odds ratio (OR) = 2.12, p = 0.031), physical inactivity (OR = 1.43, p = 0.008) and non-cohabiting (OR = 1.58, p = 0.002) were associated with an increased likelihood of poor cognitive performance. The highest odds were observed in participants who suffered from undiagnosed or insulin-dependent diabetes and, in addition, were inactive (undiagnosed diabetes: OR = 3.44, p = 0.003; insulin-dependent diabetes: OR = 6.19, p = 0.019) or lived alone (undiagnosed diabetes: OR = 4.46, p = 0.006; insulin-dependent diabetes: OR = 6.46 p = 0.052). Physical activity and cohabiting appeared to be beneficial. Conclusions/Interpretation Physical activity and cohabitation status moderate the link between diabetes mellitus and cognitive performance. Special attention should be paid to undiagnosed and insulin-dependent diabetes cases, which have a particularly high risk of poor cognitive performance.