The Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Sarcopenia Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flowchart of the participants included in this study.

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; HGS, handgrip strength; GS, gait speed; ASM, appendicular skeletal muscle mass; PASE, Physical Activity Scale for Older; GDS, Geriatric Depressive Symptoms Scale.

Table 1 Participants’ Characteristics According to Sarcopenia

		Normal(n=550)	Sarcopenia(n=111)	Severe Sarcopenia(n=39)	p
Age		69.05±6.14	73.65±6.49	79.95±6.23	<0.001^c
Gender (%)	Male	188(34.1)	42(38.2)	15(38.5)	0.643^a
	Female	363(65.9)	68(61.8)	24(61.5)
Marital status (%)	Single	104(18.9)	40(36.9)	16(41)	<0.001^b
	Married	446(81.1)	71(64)	23(59)
Living status (%)	Live alone	26(4.7)	14(12.6)	5(12.8)	<0.001^b
	With others	524(95.3)	97(87.4)	34(87.2)
Drinking (%)	Never	475(86.4)	97(87.4)	30(76.9)	0.255^b
	Sometimes	49(8.9)	7(6.3)	7(17.9)
	Often	26(4.7)	7(6.3)	2(5.1)
Smoking (%)	Never	482(87.6)	88(79.3)	33(84.6)	0.387^b
	Sometimes	54(9.8)	18(16.2)	5(12.8)
	Give up	14(2.5)	5(4.5)	1(2.6)
Hypertension (%)	No	320(58.3)	78(70.3)	30(76.9)	0.009^a
	Yes	229(41.7)	33(29.7)	9(23.1)
Diabetes (%)	No	465(84.5)	98(88.3)	34(87.2)	0.586^a
	Yes	85(15.5)	13(11.7)	5(12.8)
Heart disease (%)	No	503(91.5)	101(91)	35(89.7)	0.845^b
	Yes	47(8.5)	10(9)	4(10.3)
Depressive symptoms (%)	No	511(92.9)	100(90.1)	32(82.1)	0.057^b
	Yes	39(7.1)	11(9.9)	7(17.9)
BMI		24.98±3.16	21.15±2.84	22.05±2.94	<0.001^c
PASE scores		135.34±81.63	105.17±85.98	67.52±74.73	<0.001^c

Notes: The continuous variables were presented as mean and standard deviation; categorical variables were presented as counts and percentages (%). a: Chi-Square analysis, b: Fisher’s Exact analysis, c: One-way ANOVA.

Abbreviations: BMI, Body Mass Index; PASE, Physical Activity Scale for Older.

Table 2 Univariate Association of Depressive Symptoms and Sarcopenia

	n%		p-value
	GDS<11	GDS≥11
Low muscle mass	176(89.3)	21(10.7)	0.128
Low handgrip strength	329(89.9)	37(10.1)	0.046
Low gait speed	97(84.3)	18(15.7)	<0.001
Sarcopenia	100(90.1)	11(9.9)	0.458
Severe sarcopenia	32(82.1)	7(17.9)	0.032

Abbreviation: GDS, Geriatric Depression Scale.

Table 3 Multivariate Association Between Depressive Symptoms and Sarcopenia and Its Diagnostic Components

	Crude		Model 1		Model 2		Model 3		Model 3a		Model 3b
	OR (95% CI)	p	OR (95% CI)	p	OR (95% CI)	p	OR (95% CI)	p	OR (95% CI)	p	OR (95% CI)	p
Low muscle mass	1.55(0.88,2.72)	0.13	1.36(0.75,2.47)	0.316	1.40(0.69,2.83)	0.348	1.24(0.60,2.53)	0.557	1.43 (0.59,3.43)	0.427	3.45 (0.46,25.81)	0.228
Low handgrip strength	1.77(1.00,3.11)	0.049	1.57(0.86,2.88)	0.146	1.42(0.76,2.66)	0.272	1.34(0.72,2.53)	0.357	1.39 (0.65,3.00)	0.394	0.77 (0.07,8.20)	0.829
Low gait speed	2.60(1.43,4.73)	0.002	2.29(1.19,4.40)	0.013	2.84(1.44,5.59)	0.003	2.38(1.19,4.77)	0.014	2.46 (1.03,5.87)	0.043	3.77 (0.77,18.54)	0.102
Non-sarcopenia	1		1		1		1		1		1
Sarcopenia	1.44(0.71,2.91)	0.308	1.32(0.64,2.75)	0.454	1.15(0.49,2.70)	0.746	1.01(0.43,2.39)	0.980	1.32(0.46,3.79)	0.612	1.06(0.13,8.42)	0.955
Severe sarcopenia	2.87(1.19,6.91)	0.019	2.25(0.86,5.93)	0.100	2.93(1.03,8.38)	0.045	2.32(0.80,6.75)	0.121	4.83(1.17,19.98)	0.030	3.77(0.77,18.54)	0.102

Notes: Model 1 Adjusted for sex, age. Model 2 Adjusted for sex, age, living status, marital status, hypertension, body mass index. Model 3 Adjusted for sex, age, living status, marital status, hypertension, body mass index, and physical activity. Model 3a Adjusted for the same covariates as in Model 3, restricted to females. Model 3b Adjusted for the same covariates as in Model 3, restricted to extremely old group (>80).

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.