Sarcopenia, Frailty and Clinical Practice in Older People
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
The mission of the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit is to provide a centre of excellence which uses epidemiological methods to promote human health by delineating the environmental and occupational causes throughout the lifecourse of: (1) chronic musculoskeletal disorders (osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and sarcopenia); and (2) metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus, obesity and cardiovascular disease). Through understanding these causes, we aim to develop population-based and high risk preventive strategies against these disorders. This programme will explore the mechanisms which underlie the ageing of human muscle, and lead to physical frailty in later life.
Technical Summary
We will establish an ageing research programme that builds on our progress to date in the fields of sarcopenia and cognition, and capitalises on our expertise in these areas to investigate their links with frailty and wellbeing. Our aim is to carry out high quality interdisciplinary ageing research that informs clinical practice and translates into the improved health of older people. We will focus on mechanisms, lifecourse influences, clinical consequences and interventions. In a group of HCS participants, we will examine the contribution of altered muscle fibre composition, reduction in muscle fibre number and size, and reduced capillary density to the link between small size at birth and sarcopenia. Understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying the association between birthweight and sarcopenia has the potential to inform clinical practice in older people with regard to both prediction and prevention. As part of the HALCyon research programme, we will use data from nine UK cohorts to investigate influences over the lifecourse on cognitive and physical capability and psychological wellbeing in later life. We will also examine the longitudinal relation between sarcopenia and physical frailty and subsequent wellbeing and cognitive function. Study of the inter-relationships between cognition, wellbeing, sarcopenia and frailty across the lifecourse will enable causal associations to be identified and inform the timing of interventions to maximise capability and wellbeing in later life. We will carry out two studies to elucidate the consequences of sarcopenia, frailty and chronic disease for receipt of hospital care. Firstly, by linkage of the existing HCS data to routine Hospital Episode Statistics data, we will investigate the association between sarcopenia, frailty and chronic disease and incidence of hospital admission. Secondly, in patients aged over 80 admitted to the Acute Medical Unit in Southampton, we will examine how these conditions influence length of stay and adverse clinical outcomes. The findings from these studies have the potential to inform both clinical practice and health policy. Finally, we plan to develop two clinical interventions for sarcopenia and frailty. In the first study, of community dwelling older people participating in the Hertfordshire Physical Activity Trial, we will assess the short- and long-term effects of exercise training on sarcopenia, physical performance, frailty and wellbeing. In the second study, of hospitalised older people, we will investigate whether the use of volunteers to provide mealtime assistance can improve dietary intake and clinical outcome through an effect on these conditions. This programme will permit investigation of the mechanisms underlying the developmental origins of sarcopenia, identify inter-relationships between sarcopenia, cognition, frailty and wellbeing across the lifecourse, and determine the effect of these on the receipt of hospital care. The findings will provide evidence for the development of clinical interventions to reduce sarcopenia and frailty and improve the health and quality of life of older people.
Publications
Ward K
(2013)
A Life Course Approach to Healthy Ageing
Robinson S
(2013)
Nutrition in Infancy - Volume 1
Moon R
(2024)
Feldman and Pike' s Vitamin D
Cooper R
(2013)
A Life Course Approach to Healthy Ageing
Batty GD
(2018)
Personality traits and risk of suicide mortality: findings from a multi-cohort study in the general population.
in World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)
Gale CR
(2016)
Pleiotropy between neuroticism and physical and mental health: findings from 108 038 men and women in UK Biobank.
in Translational psychiatry
Hill WD
(2016)
Molecular genetic aetiology of general cognitive function is enriched in evolutionarily conserved regions.
in Translational psychiatry
Morris TT
(2021)
Consistency of noncognitive skills and their relation to educational outcomes in a UK cohort.
in Translational psychiatry
Marioni RE
(2018)
GWAS on family history of Alzheimer's disease.
in Translational psychiatry
Batty GD
(2018)
Psychosocial characteristics as potential predictors of suicide in adults: an overview of the evidence with new results from prospective cohort studies.
in Translational psychiatry
Gupta A
(2022)
Digital health interventions for osteoporosis and post-fragility fracture care.
in Therapeutic advances in musculoskeletal disease
Robinson SM
(2018)
Improving nutrition to support healthy ageing: what are the opportunities for intervention?
in The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
Patel H
(2022)
A cross-sectional study of the relationship between recreational sporting activity and calcaneal bone density in adolescents and young adults.
in The Physician and sportsmedicine
Leslie WD
(2019)
Fracture Risk in Women with Breast Cancer Initiating Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy: A Registry-Based Cohort Study.
in The oncologist
Denison HJ
(2018)
Healthcare-seeking behaviour of people with sexually transmitted infection symptoms attending a Sexual Health Clinic in New Zealand.
in The New Zealand medical journal
Harvey NC
(2017)
Gestational vitamin D and childhood bone health.
in The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology
Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration/EPIC-CVD/Vitamin D Studies Collaboration
(2024)
Estimating dose-response relationships for vitamin D with coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality: observational and Mendelian randomisation analyses.
in The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)
(2015)
Effects of diabetes definition on global surveillance of diabetes prevalence and diagnosis: a pooled analysis of 96 population-based studies with 331,288 participants.
in The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology
Cooper R
(2014)
Body mass index from age 15 years onwards and muscle mass, strength, and quality in early old age: findings from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development.
in The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
Elhakeem A
(2018)
Physical Activity Producing Low, but Not Medium or Higher, Vertical Impacts Is Inversely Related to BMI in Older Adults: Findings From a Multicohort Study.
in The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
Robinson SM
(2018)
Adult Lifetime Diet Quality and Physical Performance in Older Age: Findings From a British Birth Cohort.
in The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
Stafford M
(2015)
Parent-child relationships and offspring's positive mental wellbeing from adolescence to early older age
in The Journal of Positive Psychology
Hanson MA
(2016)
Developmental aspects of a life course approach to healthy ageing.
in The Journal of physiology
De Koning EJ
(2018)
Within-Person Pain Variability and Mental Health in Older Adults With Osteoarthritis: An Analysis Across 6 European Cohorts.
in The journal of pain
Pilgrim A
(2015)
Measuring appetite with the simplified nutritional appetite questionnaire identifies hospitalised older people at risk of worse health outcomes
in The journal of nutrition, health & aging
Roberts HC
(2017)
The Impact of Trained Volunteer Mealtime Assistants on the Dietary Intake of Older Female In-Patients: The Southampton Mealtime Assistance Study.
in The journal of nutrition, health & aging
Robinson SM
(2017)
Development of a Short Questionnaire to Assess Diet Quality among Older Community-Dwelling Adults.
in The journal of nutrition, health & aging
Keevil VL
(2015)
Cross-sectional associations between different measures of obesity and muscle strength in men and women in a British cohort study.
in The journal of nutrition, health & aging
Robinson SM
(2018)
Preconception Maternal Iodine Status Is Positively Associated with IQ but Not with Measures of Executive Function in Childhood.
in The Journal of nutrition
Barton SJ
(2019)
FUT2 Genetic Variants and Reported Respiratory and Gastrointestinal Illnesses During Infancy.
in The Journal of infectious diseases
Cesari M
(2013)
The European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) Working Group on <>.
in The Journal of frailty & aging
Moon RJ
(2017)
Response to Antenatal Cholecalciferol Supplementation Is Associated With Common Vitamin D-Related Genetic Variants.
in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Moon RJ
(2023)
Parent-Offspring Associations in Body Composition: Findings From the Southampton Women's Survey Prospective Cohort Study.
in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Moon RJ
(2016)
Determinants of the Maternal 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Response to Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy.
in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Harvey NC
(2014)
Maternal antenatal vitamin D status and offspring muscle development: findings from the Southampton Women's Survey.
in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Moon RJ
(2023)
Parent-Offspring Associations in Body Composition: Findings From the Southampton Women's Survey Prospective Cohort Study.
in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Kline GA
(2023)
General Comorbidity Indicators Contribute to Fracture Risk Independent of FRAX: Registry-Based Cohort Study.
in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Hesketh KR
(2019)
The association between maternal-child physical activity levels at the transition to formal schooling: cross-sectional and prospective data from the Southampton Women's Survey.
in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity
Flynn AC
(2016)
Dietary patterns in obese pregnant women; influence of a behavioral intervention of diet and physical activity in the UPBEAT randomized controlled trial.
in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity
Vogel C
(2019)
Examination of how food environment and psychological factors interact in their relationship with dietary behaviours: test of a cross-sectional model.
in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity
Chastin SFM
(2018)
Systematic comparative validation of self-report measures of sedentary time against an objective measure of postural sitting (activPAL).
in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity
Related Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Award Value |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MC_UU_12011/1 | 30/04/2013 | 29/06/2021 | £4,112,000 | ||
MC_UU_12011/2 | Transfer | MC_UU_12011/1 | 30/04/2013 | 29/06/2021 | £2,705,000 |
MC_UU_12011/3 | Transfer | MC_UU_12011/2 | 30/04/2013 | 29/06/2021 | £2,101,000 |
MC_UU_12011/4 | Transfer | MC_UU_12011/3 | 30/04/2013 | 29/06/2021 | £4,051,000 |
MC_UU_12011/5 | Transfer | MC_UU_12011/4 | 30/04/2013 | 29/06/2021 | £1,986,000 |
Description | Ageing & Dementia: Improving Routine Care Project Grant |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Department | NIHR CLAHRC Wessex |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | ESRC Project Grant |
Amount | £154,039 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | MRC Population and Systems Medicine Board Project |
Amount | £2,000,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Medical Research Council Partnership for Improvement and Innovation in Dietary Assessment Technology (PIIDAT) (Sian Robinson) |
Amount | £688,813 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/L02019X/1 |
Organisation | University of Liverpool |
Department | MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | NIHR HS&DR |
Amount | £451,164 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | University of Southampton School of Medicine and National Oceanography Centre Interface Fund |
Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Southampton |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2009 |
End | 06/2010 |
Description | Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group (Sian Robinson) |
Organisation | Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group |
Country | Global |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Global Burden of Metabolic Risk Factors of Chronic Diseases Collaborating Group is a worldwide network of clinical and public health researchers - its work is focused on analysing worldwide trends and health effects of cardiometabolic risk factors. The Collaboration also involves the World Health Organization (WHO), with the results informing global noncommunicable disease (NCD) surveillance. |
Collaborator Contribution | As a collaborator we are contributing data from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study for the ongoing updates of the global estimates |
Impact | No outputs yet - papers expected in due course |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | MRC Epidemiology Unit University of Cambridge |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | MRC Epidemiology Unit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Development of a collaborative research project |
Collaborator Contribution | Development of a collaborative research project |
Impact | PMID 24669786 23737780 22430306 20052455 |
Start Year | 2006 |
Description | University of Dundee |
Organisation | University of Dundee |
Department | Department for Ageing and Health |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Collaborative research project |
Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative research project |
Impact | PMID 24522120 |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | Anna Pilgrim: Tea Club talk, Southampton (Feb 2014) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | A talk to residents and helpers at the "Tea Club" of a residential home on the topic of The Southampton Mealtime Assistance Study Greater understanding of the work of the MRC LEU |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity |
Description | Article in the New Scientist |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | An article entitled "Exercise may be the best anti-ageing pill" appeared online and in the print copy of the New Scientist and quoted Avan Aihie Sayer Increased national interest in sarcopenia research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | British Society of Gerontology, Southampton, Sept 2014 (Sian Robinson) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Symposium speaker: Inequalities in health behaviours and lifestyle in older age: what can we do to promote better physical function? Communicating research of the MRC LEU to a wide audience |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Copenhagen Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Professor Cyrus Cooper lectured at the conference 'The Skeleton from Early Life to Old Age - new paradigms in osteoporosis and bone health'. The lecture from Prof Cooper was extremely well attended by international leaders in the medical profession and was entitled "Global disease burden and Life Course Epidemiology of osteoporosis". |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Cutting Edge Osteoarthritis Meeting, Pembroke College, Oxford, June 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Professor Cyrus Cooper attended and delivered a talk on 'Inspired Careers' at the third Cutting Edge Osteoarthritis Meeting at Pembroke College, Oxford on 24-25 June 2019. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Herfordshire Open Day in Harpenden on 23rd June 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Attendance at the Herfordshire Open Day on 23rd June in Harpenden |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Hertfordshire study event, July 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A group of MRC staff (inc Cyrus Cooper, Avan Aihie Sayer and Sian Robinson) hosted event at the Hertford Theatre for 400 cohort participants and their families Increased understanding of the work of MRC LEU |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Holly Syddall: Lifelab, Oct 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Holly Syddall attended the LifeLab Meet the Scientist training event Increased awareness of the work of the MRC LEU |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity |
Description | ICFSR, Miami 16th-25th February 2020 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Speaking at the ICFSR 2019 international conference in Miami in February 2019. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Institute/Faculty of Actuaries Mortality Seminar Series: Frailty Research Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dissemination of frailty research of relevance to the insurance and finance industries Increased understanding of the impact of ageing research on different sectors of industry |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Press release for published paper |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A press release came out on 12th August 2022 for the paper entitled "Menopausal hormone therapy reduces the risk of fracture regardless of falls risk or baseline FRAX probability - results from the Women's Health Initiative hormone therapy trials." The paper was published in Osteoporosis International. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Public Engagement Day: Hertfordshire Cohort Study, July 2014 (Sian Robinson) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Speaker: The diets of men and women in the Hertfordshire Cohort Study - what did we find out? Communicating research of the MRC LEU to a wide audience |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Recent press interaction |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Reuters: David Douglas. Email exchange 24 Sept 2014 Discussion |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Royal Osteoporosis Society Annual Charity Event and Dinner |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Royal Osteoporosis Bone Research Academy dinner and awards in celebration of the progress of the Academy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Talk at Southampton Medical and Health Research Conference June 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Dr Beth Curtis gave a talk on bone turnover in pregnancy and how it is linked to vitamin D supplementation and maternal bone health, at the Southampton Medical and Health Research Conference. Pictures and comments about Beth's talk appeared on social media. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | University of Southampton website (Hertfordshire meeting) July 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Article "Hertfordshire people help make new medical discoveries", reporting the event hosted by MRC LEU at the Hertford Theatre for 400 cohort participants and their families Increased awareness of the work of MRC LEU |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Vertebroplasty Workshop, Feb 2019, Paris |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This group is led by Pr Jean-Denis Laredo and organizes a meeting annually. Prof Cooper was invited to attend the meeting and present as part of a more general round table session where effectiveness of anti-osteoporotic treatments on the prevention of vertebral fractures was discussed. The title of Prof Cooper's presentation was "Epidemiology of osteoporotic vertebral fractures" (with a focus on the evolution over time of incidence and prevalence of vertebral fractures but also on the consequences of vertebral fractures). The participants of this meeting were represented by radiologists but also neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, and few rheumatologists. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |