Relationship of low plasma klotho with poor grip strength in older community-dwelling adults: The InCHIANTI study

Richard D. Semba, Anne R. Cappola, Kai Sun, Stefania Bandinelli, Mansi Dalal, Candace Crasto, Jack M. Guralnik, Luigi Ferrucci

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

Handgrip strength is a strong indicator of total body muscle strength and is a predictor of poor outcomes in older adults. The aging suppressor gene klotho encodes a single-pass transmembrane protein that is secreted as a circulating hormone. In mice, disruption of klotho expression results in a syndrome that includes sarcopenia, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, and shortened lifespan, and conversely, overexpression of klotho leads to a greater longevity. The objective was to determine whether plasma klotho levels are related to skeletal muscle strength in humans. We measured plasma klotho in 804 adults, ≥65 years, in the InCHIANTI study, a longitudinal population-based study of aging in Tuscany, Italy. Grip strength was positively correlated with plasma klotho at threshold <681 pg/mL. After adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking, physical activity, cognition, and chronic diseases, plasma klotho (per 1 standard deviation increase) was associated with grip strength (beta = 1.20, standard error = 0.35, P = 0.0009) in adults with plasma klotho <681 pg/mL. These results suggest that older adults with lower plasma klotho have poor skeletal muscle strength.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1215-1220
Number of pages6
JournalEuropean Journal of Applied Physiology
Volume112
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2012

Keywords

  • Aging
  • Klotho
  • Muscle strength
  • Sarcopenia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Physiology (medical)

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