The multifactorial nature of sarcopenia is a major obstacle to establishing the diagnosis, especially in individuals with a comorbid pathology. Several studies have proposed numerous molecules that may be associated with the pathogenesis of sarcopenia and may be useful in the future. However, there is an unmet need to find a sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective biomarker of muscle aging in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).

OBJECTIVE

To compare markers of oxidative stress (TNF-α, IL-1β, 8-isoprostan) in sarcopenia in patients with type 2 DM.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study followed the provisions of the Helsinki Declaration and included 70 volunteers 45 to 85 years having signed an informed voluntary consent. The study participants were divided into 3 groups based on the results of hand dynamometry and bioimpedancemetry according to the sarcopenia screening algorithm EWGSOP2 2019: Group 1 (n=22) — the patients with type 2 DM and sarcopenia, Group 2 (n=30) — the patients with type 2 DM and presarcopenia, Group 3, control (n=18) — the patients without type 2 DM or sarcopenia. All subjects had their TNF-α, IL-1β, and 8-isoprostane levels measured. Statistical data was processed using StatTech v. 4.1.2.

RESULTS

Patients with presarcopenia and type 2 DM often tend to have obesity, low-performance capability, severe frailty, and hyperglycemia compared to participants with sarcopenia. Patients with type 2 DM and sarcopenia had normal BMI, with all basic composition parameters decreased. Diabetic nephropathy was the most common complication of type 2 DM in patients with sarcopenia or presarcopenia. Muscular atrophy in type 2 DM is characterized by higher 8-isoprostane and lower IL-1β blood serum levels. In sarcopenia, the 8-isoprostane level was above 1009 pg/mL, and the IL-1β was below 2.2 pg/mL. In presarcopenia, the 8-isoprostane level was above 1345 pg/mL, and IL-1β was below 2.68 pg/mL.

CONCLUSION

The established threshold levels of 8-isoprostane and IL-1β can be potential markers of sarcopenia and presarcopenia. This requires further clinical confirmation on a larger sample.