Kardiovaskulyarnaya Terapiya I Profilaktika · 2026
Associations between muscle strength and interleukin-6 levels in the context of aging: results of a population-based study
By Shalnova S. A., Kutsenko V. A., Imaeva N. A. et al.
Aim. To study the associations between muscle strength, assessed by handgrip test, and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in older adults based on population-based study data. Material and methods. The analysis included data from the prospective cohort study Stress, Aging and Health in Russia (SAHR), conducted in 2007-2011. The examination of the sample (1,876 individuals aged ≥55 years) included a survey, as well as paraclinical tests. Muscle strength was assessed using a handgrip test; serum IL-6 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). An elevated IL-6 level was defined as >1,35 pg/ml (the third quartile of the distribution). Statistical analysis was performed using the R data analysis environment. Results. Participants with elevated IL-6 levels were significantly older, had a larger waist circumference, and were more likely to have a history of myocardial infarction. Muscle strength in the group with elevated IL-6 levels was significantly lower compared to participants with lower IL-6 values. Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between muscle strength and IL-6 levels, adjusted for sex and age (r=-0,056; p<0,001). According to multivariate regression analysis, elevated IL-6 levels were associated with a 0,7 kg decrease in muscle strength (β=-0,7; 95% confidence interval: -1,4 — -0,1; p=0,018) after adjustment for sex, age, height, waist circumference, smoking status, and a history of myocardial infarction and acute cerebrovascular accident. Conclusion. An independent negative association between muscle strength and IL-6 levels was identified in a population of older adults. The findings suggest that the level of this cytokine may be considered a potential biomarker for age-related decline in muscle strength and the risk of sarcopenia, which should be taken into account when developing preventive strategies aimed at maintaining functional status in older age groups.