2025 Volume 37 Issue 2 Pages 123-129
Objective: This study aimed to investigate skeletal muscle mass and quality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis（RA）and locomotive syndrome（LS）.
Methods: A total of 160 patients with RA attending rheumatology outpatient clinics were included in this study. LS was defined by a scoring ≥ 16 points on the 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale. Skeletal muscle mass index（SMI）and phase angle（PhA）were measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis（Inbody-S10;Tanita Corp, Tokyo, Japan）to assess skeletal muscle mass and quality.
Results: The median whole body PhA was 4.0（3.6-4.8）° in LS group and 4.7（4.3-5.3）° in non-LS group. PhA was significantly lower in LS group compared to non-LS group. Among individuals with normal SMI, 19% of men and 18% of women had LS, and those with LS exhibited a lower PhA than their non-LS.
Conclusions: In patients with RA, LS with normal SMI had low PhA, suggesting reduced skeletal muscle quality. As the quality of skeletal muscles declines with age, affecting muscle strength and walking ability, a decline in quality may lead to locomotion. Assessment of skeletal muscle quality is therefore also considered important.
