Why the study?
The relationship between body composition, particularly skeletal muscle mass, and vascular health indices remains incompletely understood.
Are body composition indices associated with vascular health measures such as arterial stiffness and structure?
Meta-Analysis (n=21,215)
Are body composition indices associated with vascular health measures such as arterial stiffness and structure?
Odds Ratio: 1.79 (95% CI 1.68–1.91)
This meta-analysis demonstrates significant positive associations between specific body composition indices (fat-free mass and body fat percentage) and surrogate markers of vascular health (cIMT and PWV).
Warrants no change in clinical vascular risk assessment; leaves open whether fat-free mass causally affects arterial structure.
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review explores the intricate relationship between body composition, with a specific focus on skeletal muscle mass, and vascular health indices, including measures of arterial stiffness-pulse wave velocity (PWV) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI)-as well as arterial structure, specifically carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT). METHODS: An extensive literature search, encompassing PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, was conducted until January 2024. Inclusion criteria involved original observational studies, with cross-sectional or longitudinal designs, reporting body composition parameters and vascular health measures. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) assessed study quality. Statistical analyses utilized Stata 17.0, employing random-effects meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, and evaluation of publication bias. RESULTS: Fifteen observational studies (n = 21,215) met the inclusion criteria. Pooled analyses revealed a positive association between fat-free mass (FFM) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (effect size [ES]: 1.79, 95% CI 1.68-1.91), highlighting a relationship with arterial structure. Similarly, body fat percentage (BFP) was positively associated with PWV (ES: 1.45, 95% CI 1.15-1.82), and FFM showed a positive association with CAVI (ES: 1.46, 95% CI 0.78-2.71), both measures of arterial stiffness. Subgroup analyses revealed a non-significant association between appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) and IMT (ES: 1.01, 95% CI 0.76-1.35). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis highlights the complex relationship between body composition and vascular health. Subgroup analyses suggest the need for further research into specific body composition indices and their clinical implications. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III evidence obtained from well-designed cohort and cross-sectional studies.
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Nikoohemmat et al. (2025) conducted a meta-analysis in Vascular health (arterial stiffness and structure) (n=21,215). Fat-free mass (FFM) vs. Lower fat-free mass was evaluated on Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.68-1.91).
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