The impact of the age range of young healthy reference population on the cut-off points for low muscle mass necessary for the diagnosis of sarcopenia.

OBJECTIVE: According to the consensus report published by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP), sarcopenia researchers should determine sex-specific cut-off points (COPs) for low muscle mass (LMM) in their respective countries. To this end, it is necessary to investigate young healthy adults' group (YHAG). As the EWGSOP hasn't specified any inclusion criteria for this group, there is a significant divergence in literature regarding the age range characterizing YHAG. Therefore, the primary aim of our study was to assess the impact of different YHAG age ranges on the calculated values of COPs for LMM. The secondary aims were to use the calculated COPs for evaluating the prevalence of sarcopenia among the older people from Poland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 1512 young healthy individuals were divided into six age subgroups: 20-30, 18-40, 18-39, 20-39, 20-40, and 20-35 years. The sex-specific COPs for LMM were calculated using the Appendicular Lean Mass index. The prevalence of sarcopenia was assessed in 468 older adults from Poland. RESULTS: In the six age subgroups, six different COPs were obtained in the group of young women (ranging from 5.51 kg/m2 to 5.60 kg/m2), and three different COPs were found in the group of young men (ranging from 7.35 kg/m2 to 7.40 kg/m2). After applying the determined COPs, the overall prevalence of sarcopenia was found to range between 4.5% and 5.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Since there are no guidelines establishing the YHAG age range, if multiple sex-specific COPs are obtained, the highest values should be applied in the diagnostic of sarcopenia to avoid the misclassification of patients with this disease.

The role of purinergic P2Y12 receptor blockers on the angiogenic properties of endothelial cells: an in vitro study.

Pharmacotherapy with agents that inhibit platelet function has proven to be effective in the treatment of acute coronary syndrome. Proper re-endothelization after angioplasty prevents adverse cardiovascular events. Therefore, in this in vitro study we examined how antiplatelet P2Y12 receptor blockers can affect endothelial cells' angiogenic properties. Endothelial cells were exposed to ticagrelor, prasugrel and clopidogrel in their highest concentrations obtained in serum after the treatment with loading and clinical doses. Further, the viability, apoptosis, and necrosis were tested and the following angiogenic properties such as proliferation, migration, invasiveness, tube formation, wound healing and the production of angiogenic mediators (bFGF, PDGF, MMP-2, Ang-2, TIMP-1). The results of this study showed that P2Y12 receptor blockers in the tested concentrations are safe for endothelial cells. They neither induced necrosis or apoptosis nor changed the endothelial cell viability, migration, invasiveness, tube formation, wound healing, the production of VEGF or its receptors. However, they reduced cell proliferation. It was shown that out of these three drugs, ticagrelor in its loading concentration had the most potent angiogenic property. It reduced cell proliferation and changed the production of angiogenic (bFGF, MMP-2) and angiostatic mediators (Ang-2). In conclusion, P2Y12 receptor blockers in the concentrations obtained in the serum during standard therapy reduced endothelial cell proliferation. Despite this slight antimitogenic effect, they did not change endothelial cell tube formation or wound healing. Out of the three tested drugs, ticagrelor had the most potent angiogenic effect in vitro, but not strong enough to disturb tube formation and wound healing.

Weight loss-dependent and -independent effects of moderate calorie restriction on endothelial cell markers in obesity.

Endothelial cell dysfunction in obesity can be reduced by calorie restriction (CR), however it is unclear whether this benefit requires a concomitant weight loss or is it simply related to the reduced calorie intake per se. In our study serum was drawn from 41 obese women who were undergoing an 8-week dietary intervention with 15 - 30% energy deficit, and from 48 age- and sex-matched controls of normal weight. Serum was analysed for biomarkers of endothelial cell function, oxidative stress and inflammation. Compared with non-obese individuals, the obese patients had lower serum levels of nitric oxide (NO), adiponectin, and decreased serum antioxidant status. They also had significantly higher levels of adhesive molecules, thrombomodulin (TM), von Wilebrand factor (vWF), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and leptin. To further characterize the effect of moderate CR, the patients were ranked into two comparable groups according to the extent of weight loss - below and above the median (-5.8 kg). A moderate dietary intervention did not correct adiponectin, antioxidant status, vWF, TM, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) but ameliorated changes in other parameters. Only changes in NO and - to a lesser degree - in sE-selectin showed a clear relationship with the magnitude of weight reduction. By contrast, a beneficial reduction in TNF-α occurred equally in patients who lost more or less weight after caloric restriction. We concluded that moderate calorie restriction could still improve several parameters of endothelial cell function irrespective of whether it was accompanied by changes in body mass. However, a significant improvement in nitric oxide, a key mediator of endothelial well-being, requires a substantial reduction in body weight.