Evaluation of the relationship between muscle mass and serum myostatin levels in chronic hemodialysis patients

Abstract EN

The loss of muscle mass and cachexia is commonly seen in hemodialysis (HD) patients and contribute to morbidity and mortality.

The exact mechanism of this fact is multifactorial and still unclear.

Myostatin, a transforming growth factor-β family ligand, is released from the skeletal and heart muscle and may be responsible for muscle degradation and atrophy.

The aim of this study is evaluation of the relationship between muscle mass and serum myostatin level in chronic HD patients.

One hundred and forty HD patients (79 males, 28 diabetic, mean age; 53.96 ± 13.6) were included in this cross-sectional study.

Muscle mass measurement was made with dual energy-X ray absorptiometry.

Appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) was used as a muscle mass indicator.

The anthropometric and biochemistry data were obtained.

Serum myostatin levels were determined by an ELISA kit.

Serum myostatin levels were elevated when compared to controls (P <0.001), but no significant correlation with ASMI was observed (P = 0.624).

ASMI significantly correlated with serum creatinine (P <0.001), creatine phosphokinase (P <0.001), prealbumin (P <0.012), albumin (P <0.039), transferrin (P <0.001), phosphorus (P <0.001), Ca×P (P <0.012), inversely with Kt/V (P <0.001); not with BUN (P = 0.739), parathyroid hormone (P = 0.698), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (P = 0.603), bicarbonate (P = 0.062); such that these parameters also have influence on muscle mass regulation.

Our study indicated that myostatin levels were high in HD patients but had no relation with ASMI.

Myostatin is a well-known regulator of muscle mass so further studies are needed to demonstrate possible relationship.