This prospective controlled study compared sleep patterns (polysomnography, actigraphy, questionnaires), inflammatory biomarkers, and muscle function in 63 community-dwelling adults >65 years: 31 sarcopenic (ES) vs. 32 non-sarcopenic (ENS), with all analyses adjusted for age.
Sarcopenic older adults had lower handgrip strength (21.7 vs. 27.6 kg), worse SPPB scores (8.8 vs. 11.2), shorter total sleep time by PSG (307.7 vs. 351.9 min), lower actigraphy sleep efficiency (90.0% vs. 94.2%), longer WASO (35.4 vs. 18.1 min), higher AHI (20.0 vs. 10.4 events/hour), and higher TNF-α levels (4344 vs. 4077 pg/dL) — all p<0.05.
- Small sample (n=63) limits power for subgroup analyses by sex or BMI, and actigraphy data loss reduced the sleep-wake dataset to 40 participants. - Single-night PSG may not reflect habitual sleep, and the PSG-derived total sleep time difference should be interpreted cautiously. - Incomplete hormonal data (testosterone, GH, IGF-1) restricted mechanistic interpretation linking sleep to sarcopenia biology.
Older adults with sarcopenia show worse sleep and higher TNF-α — screen for sleep-disordered breathing (AHI nearly double) as a potentially modifiable co-target alongside muscle rehabilitation. Interventions addressing sleep quality and systemic inflammation may help slow sarcopenia progression in this population.
Explore related topics
