Marcadores inflamatórios em pessoas idosas com sarcopenia vivendo em comunidade em um estado do nordeste brasileiro

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify possible associations between sarcopenia and inflammatory markers in older adults living in the community in the State of Alagoas. To this end, a sample of 122 individuals aged 60 years or older, of both sexes, was evaluated. Participants were selected non-probabilistically, for convenience, and classified into two groups: with sarcopenia and without sarcopenia. The groups were assessed regarding sociodemographic aspects, health status, nutritional status, muscle strength, lean body mass, walking speed, and serum inflammatory markers such as IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. The sample was predominantly composed of older adult females (n=88; 72.1%), with a mean age of 71.19 years (±8.18 SD), self-reported as Black (n=94; 77.1%) and with low education (n=87; 71.3%). Sarcopenia was present in 13.11% (n=16) of the participants and was higher among men (OR: 2.59; p=0.03), among smokers (OR: 3.83; p=0.02). Approximately 89% (n=106) of the participants had at least one diagnosed chronic disease, and 20.7% (n=24) were using polypharmacy. The frequency of elevated concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α was 28.3% (n=35), 12.3% (n=15), and 14.8% (n=18), respectively. A negative moderate correlation was observed between IL-8 levels and walking speed in the sarcopenia group (r = -0.637; p = 0.01). Elevated IL-8 concentration (OR: 5.09; p=0.02) was associated with the presence of sarcopenia. Increased concentrations of IL-6 (OR: 2.57; p=0.17) and TNF-α (OR: 1.89; p=0.42) were not associated with this clinical condition. This study revealed a higher prevalence of sarcopenia among male individuals and smokers. However, there was a higher frequency of females, self-reported Black individuals, and those with low education. Furthermore, a negative correlation was evidenced between elevated levels of the cytokine IL-8 and walking speed, highlighting the complexity of the factors involved in sarcopenia and their implications for the health of this population.