Anemia status transitions, cumulative hemoglobin exposure, and component-specific associations with sarcopenia.
- 1Department of Ultrasound, Lishui Central Hospital, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, China.
- 2Cancer Center, Lishui Central Hospital, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Sarcopenia and anemia co-occur frequently among middle-aged and older adults, yet the relationship between anemia status transitions and sarcopenia remains poorly characterized.Methods
Drawing on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we conducted an analysis of 2,507 participants aged 45 years and older who were free of sarcopenia at baseline. Anemia was defined according to World Health Organization criteria as hemoglobin levels < 13 g/dL for men and < 12 g/dL for women. Anemia status transitions between 2011 and 2015 were classified as persistent non-anemia, incident anemia, resolved anemia, and persistent anemia. Sarcopenia and its components were ascertained in 2015 according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. Multivariable logistic regression, restricted cubic spline analysis, subgroup analyses, and multiple sensitivity analyses were performed.Results
Persistent anemia was significantly associated with higher odds of sarcopenia compared with persistent non-anemia (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.06-3.24). Associations were most evident for low muscle mass, particularly among participants with resolved anemia (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.00-2.47) and persistent anemia (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.09-2.75). Cumulative hemoglobin exposure demonstrated a significant inverse dose-response relationship with both low muscle mass and sarcopenia, with each standard deviation increment associated with 17% and 21% lower odds, respectively.Conclusions
Anemia status transitions and cumulative hemoglobin exposure were associated with sarcopenia-related outcomes among middle-aged and older Chinese adults, with associations concentrated in the muscle mass domain.
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BibTeX
@article{yan2026anemia,
title = {{Anemia status transitions, cumulative hemoglobin exposure, and component-specific associations with sarcopenia.}},
author = {Jianfei Yan and Yanhua Huang and Weiye Lu and Liya Dai and Zhihui Chen and Yeyu Zhou},
journal = {Nutrition \& metabolism},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.1186/s12986-026-01186-1},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902284},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Anemia status transitions, cumulative hemoglobin exposure, and component-specific associations with sarcopenia.
AU - Jianfei Yan
AU - Yanhua Huang
AU - Weiye Lu
AU - Liya Dai
AU - Zhihui Chen
AU - Yeyu Zhou
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/01
JO - Nutrition & metabolism
DO - 10.1186/s12986-026-01186-1
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902284
AB - Background Sarcopenia and anemia co-occur frequently among middle-aged and older adults, yet the relationship between anemia status transitions and sarcopenia remains poorly characterized.Methods Drawing on data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we conducted an analysis of 2,507 participants aged 45 years and older who were free of sarcopenia at baseline. Anemia was defined according to World Health Organization criteria as hemoglobin levels < 13 g/dL for men and < 12 g/dL for women. Anemia status transitions between 2011 and 2015 were classified as persistent non-anemia, incident anemia, resolved anemia, and persistent anemia. Sarcopenia and its components were ascertained in 2015 according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. Multivariable logistic regression, restricted cubic spline analysis, subgroup analyses, and multiple sensitivity analyses were performed.Results Persistent anemia was significantly associated with higher odds of sarcopenia compared with persistent non-anemia (OR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.06-3.24). Associations were most evident for low muscle mass, particularly among participants with resolved anemia (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.00-2.47) and persistent anemia (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.09-2.75). Cumulative hemoglobin exposure demonstrated a significant inverse dose-response relationship with both low muscle mass and sarcopenia, with each standard deviation increment associated with 17% and 21% lower odds, respectively.Conclusions Anemia status transitions and cumulative hemoglobin exposure were associated with sarcopenia-related outcomes among middle-aged and older Chinese adults, with associations concentrated in the muscle mass domain.
SN - 1743-7075
ER -