Associations of skeletal muscle mass and strength with arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes

ABSTRACT Sarcopenia is prevalent in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. However, the associations of skeletal muscle mass and strength with arterial stiffness in T2DM remain unclear. This retrospective cross‐sectional study included 281 hospitalized people with T2DM. Arterial stiffness was assessed by brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and handgrip strength (HS) were evaluated. Associations with baPWV were examined using correlation and multivariable linear regression analyses. baPWV was inversely associated with both SMI and HS. In multivariable analyses, lower SMI (β = −0.247, P  = 0.009) and lower HS (β = −0.212, P  = 0.002) were significantly associated with higher arterial stiffness after adjustment for established cardiovascular risk factors. Both skeletal muscle mass and strength were associated with arterial stiffness in individuals with T2DM. Assessment of both parameters may provide complementary information regarding vascular risk.