Relationship between sarcopenia and diabetic nephropathy

Introduction Sarcopenia is a generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass combined with reduced strength and/or physical performance. Diabetic patients are prone to accelerated aging process, and these individuals are at increased risk of sarcopenia at an early age. Aim To determine the relationship between sarcopenia and diabetic nephropathy (DN). Patients and methods A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out on 60 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), comprising 19 patients with DN and 41 patients without nephropathy, and 40 healthy controls. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia criteria. Results Of 60 patients, 44 (73%) were females and 16 (27%) were males, and their ages ranged from 31 to 70 years, with mean±SD age of 55.4±10 years. Sarcopenia was detected in nine (15%) patients with DM versus only one (2.5%) patient in healthy controls. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 35% in patients with DN versus 5% in those without DN. Skeletal muscle index was positively correlated with BMI in both sexes and in waist circumference in females. Conclusion The prevalence of sarcopenia was higher among diabetic patients with nephropathy than in those without nephropathy. Male sex and BMI are among the risk factors of sarcopenia in patients with DM.