Can J Cardiol. 2026 Mar 13:S0828-282X(26)00256-4. doi: 10.1016/j.cjca.2026.02.054. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The burden of cardiovascular events remains substantial under current care, highlighting the clinical importance of identifying high-risk populations. Sarcopenia, affecting 10%-27% of older adults worldwide, is modifiable but under-recognised in cardiovascular prevention due to unclear risk associations. We aimed to clarify the association between sarcopenia and cardiovascular events risk.
METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for longitudinal studies reporting associations between sarcopenia or its related traits with cardiovascular events risk until January 2024. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiovascular events, encompassing cardiovascular diseases (such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke) and cardiovascular mortality. Data pooled by random-effects models are presented as risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
RESULTS: One hundred longitudinal studies (approximately 2.3 million participants) were included. Sarcopenia was associated with higher risk of cardiovascular events (unadjusted risk ratio [uRR]=1.92, 95% CI 1.59 to 2.32; adjusted risk ratio [aRR]=1.63, 1.30 to 2.04) and cardiovascular diseases (uRR=1.69, 1.39 to 2.04; aRR=1.28, 1.12 to 1.46), whereas the association with cardiovascular mortality was significant only in unadjusted analyses (uRR=2.28, 1.56 to 3.33; aRR=1.61, 0.98 to 2.64). Similar associations with cardiovascular events were observed for low muscle mass (uRR=1.61, 1.32 to 1.97; aRR=1.43, 1.23 to 1.68) and low grip strength (uRR=2.04, 1.72 to 2.44; aRR=1.46, 1.37 to 1.56).
CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia, defined using heterogeneous criteria, was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events later in life. These findings suggest that sarcopenia and related traits may serve as markers of elevated subsequent cardiovascular risk.
PMID:41833723 | DOI:10.1016/j.cjca.2026.02.054
