Using minimal clinically important differences to measure long-term transitions of osteosarcopenia: The New Mexico Aging Process Study

Lara Vlietstra , Ben Kirk , Gustavo Duque (1, 2) , Clifford Qualls , Bruno Vellas (3, 4) , Sandrine Andrieu (5, 4, 3) , John Morley (6) , Debra Waters

1 AIMSS - Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science
2 Melbourne Medical School [Melbourne]
3 Equipe Vieillissement (CERPOP)
4 CHU Toulouse - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse
5 CESP - Centre de recherche en épidémiologie et santé des populations
6 Washington University School of Medicine [Saint Louis, MO]

By having a better understanding of transitions in osteosarcopenia, interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality can be better targeted. The aim of this study was to show the rationale and method of using minimal clinically important differences (MCID's) to classify transitions, and the effects of demographic variables on transitions in a 9-year follow-up data from the New Mexico Aging Process Study (NMAPS). Transitions were identified in four aspects of osteosarcopenia: bone mineral density (BMD), appendicular skeletal muscle mass/body mass index ratio (ASM/BMI), grip strength and gait speed. Transitions were identified using a MCID score. As there is currently no available MCID for BMD and ASM/BMI, those were determined using a distribution-based and an anchor-based method. Total transitions were calculated for all four measures of osteosarcopenia in all transition categories (maintaining a health status, beneficial transition, harmful transitions). Poisson regression was used to test for effects of demographic variables, including age, sex, physical activity, medication, and health status, on transitions. Over the 9-year follow-up, a total of 2163 MCID-derived BMD transitions were reported, 1689 ASM/BMI transitions, 2339 grip strength transitions, and 2151 gait speed transitions. Additionally, some MCID-derived transition categories were associated with sex, age, and health status. Use of MCID-derived transitions reflected the fluctuation and the dynamic nature of health in older adults. Future research should focus on transitions of modifiable markers in osteosarcopenia to design intervention trials.

Mots clés: Aging; Life course; MCID; Osteosarcopenia; Transitions

Domaines: Santé publique et épidémiologie

Lara Vlietstra, Ben Kirk, Gustavo Duque, Clifford Qualls, Bruno Vellas, et al.. Using minimal clinically important differences to measure long-term transitions of osteosarcopenia: The New Mexico Aging Process Study. Experimental Gerontology, 2023, 173, pp.112106. ⟨10.1016/j.exger.2023.112106⟩. ⟨hal-04485843⟩