Reduced muscle mass in middle-aged depressed patients is associated with male gender and chronicity

摘要

Objective: Reduced muscle mass is a characteristic finding in sarcopenia, the central element of physical frailty syndrome, and a major cause of physical function decay, morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Studies so far demonstrated reduced muscle mass in depressed patients with an average age over 60 years. An open question is whether muscle mass reduction is already observed earlier. Therefore, muscle mass was assessed in middle-aged male and female depressive patients, and the findings were related to indicators of hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis activation, lifestyle factors, endocrine and immune measures.