Arterial stiffness is associated with low skeletal muscle mass in Japanese community‐dwelling older adults

AIM: To examine whether arterial stiffness, measured by the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), is associated with skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) in Japanese community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Data were collected from 175 participants through questionnaires and specific tests; the data included demographic, lifestyle and health characteristics, body mass index (BMI), and body composition features determined by the bioelectrical impedance analysis, ankle-brachial index, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, handgrip strength (GS), walking speed and shuttle walking tests (SW), and arterial stiffness determined by the CAVI. Absolute SMI was dichotomized according to the first quintile, which determined low (n = 35) and normal (n = 140) SMI. RESULTS: Participants with low SMI were older (P = 0.01), had more polypharmacy (P = 0.01), a lower BMI (P < 0.001), and fat mass index (P = 0.02), and had a greater risk of malnutrition (P < 0.001) than the normal group. Additionally, they showed poorer physical performance (GS and SW, P = 0.007 and 0.01, respectively) than the normal group. Furthermore, CAVI was associated with SMI even after adjustments (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.14-2.90, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that arterial stiffness is associated with low SMI in community-dwelling older adults, even when adjusting by multiple factors, showing a close interaction of vascular aging and muscle mass decline.