Phase Angle Predicts Mild Cognitive Impairment In Female Health Screening Participants; Elder-safe Study Kyoto

In recent years, the relationship between skeletal muscle and cognitive function has attracted much attention. However, it is unclear which skeletal muscle measures are appropriate for predicting mild cognitive impairment (MCI). PURPOSE: To explore skeletal muscle indices that may predict MCI. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 263 participants (163 men and 100 women) who underwent general health examinations at the Takeda Hospital Health Examination Center from August to November 2022. Consent was obtained from the participants. Body weight, appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) and phase angle (PhA) were measured using a multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis device. Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured using the Smedley grip force system. Global cognitive function was evaluated using the Japanese version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J) through face to face interviews. We investigated the predictive ability of five skeletal muscle indices (ASM/ht2, ASM/BMI, HGS, HGS/ upper extremity skeletal muscle mass, PhA) for MCI and the association between skeletal muscle indices and MCI, using MoCA-J scores of 25 or less as the outcome. RESULTS: In the ROC analysis, grip strength in men (area under the curve 0.603, p < 0.05) and ASM/ht2 and PhA in women had significant predictive ability for MCI (area under the curve 0.630 and 0.771, all p < 0.05). Furthermore, logistic regression analysis showed that the significant association between HGS and MCI in men disappeared after adjustment by cofounders (age, metabolic parameters, exercise habits, smoking habits, and drinking habits) [odds ratio (OR) = 0.976, 95%CI: 0.920-1.035]. In contrast in women, the significant association between ASM/ht2 and MCI disappeared after adjustment by the confounders [OR = 0.959, 95%CI: 0.814-1.130], while the significant association between PhA and MCI was persisted even after the adjustment (OR = 0.815, 95%CI: 0.702-0.945). CONCLUSIONS: Phase angle significantly predicted MCI in women regardless of age, metabolic parameters and lifestyle. This indicates that Phase angle may be a useful MCI screening indicator in female health screening participants.