1. Effect of allopurinol on phosphocreatine recovery and muscle function in older people with impaired physical function: a randomised controlled trial
- Author
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Ian Cavin, Stephen J. Gandy, Allan D. Struthers, Christopher Gingles, Clare Clarke, Deepa Sumukadas, Lukasz Priba, Jacob George, R S Nicholas, Anita Hutcheon, and Miles D. Witham
- Subjects
Aging ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Randomization ,Phosphocreatine ,Allopurinol ,Walking ,030204 cardiovascular system & hematology ,Placebo ,law.invention ,older people ,AcademicSubjects/MED00280 ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,Randomized controlled trial ,Quality of life ,law ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,oxidative stress ,030212 general & internal medicine ,skeletal muscle ,Muscle, Skeletal ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,business.industry ,Skeletal muscle ,physical performance ,General Medicine ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,chemistry ,Quality of Life ,Cardiology ,Lean body mass ,Female ,Geriatrics and Gerontology ,business ,human activities ,Research Paper ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Background Allopurinol has vascular antioxidant effects and participates in purinergic signalling within muscle. We tested whether allopurinol could improve skeletal muscle energetics and physical function in older people with impaired physical performance. Methods We conducted a randomised, double blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial, comparing 20 weeks of allopurinol 600 mg once daily versus placebo. We recruited community-dwelling participants aged 65 and over with baseline 6-min walk distance of Results In total, 124 participants were randomised, mean age 80 (SD 6) years. A total of 59 (48%) were female, baseline 6-min walk distance was 293 m (SD 80 m) and baseline SPPB was 8.5 (SD 2.0). Allopurinol did not significantly improve PCr recovery rate (treatment effect 0.10 units [95% CI, โ0.07 to 0.27], P = 0.25). No significant changes were seen in endothelial function, quality of life, lean body mass or SPPB. Allopurinol improved 6-min walk distance (treatment effect 25 m [95% 4โ46, P = 0.02]). This was more pronounced in those with high baseline oxidative stress and urate. Conclusion Allopurinol improved 6-min walk distance but not PCr recovery rate in older people with impaired physical function. Antioxidant strategies to improve muscle function for older people may need to be targeted at subgroups with high baseline oxidative stress.
- Published
- 2020