The Association between Sarcopenia and Pulmonary Function in Koreans: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: This study examined the association between sarcopenia and spirometry patterns in the restrictive and obstructive patterns and investigated whether there were sex-specific differences. Methods: This study obtained data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2008-2011), a cross-sectional and nationally representative survey conducted by the Korean Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention. Results: Of the 11,671 participants included in this study, the prevalence rate of pulmonary function by sarcopenia was classified according to sex. Crude, which did not adjust any variables, showed a 2.770 (2.065-3.715) obstructive of 2.439 (1.824-3.262) compared to normal. Model 3, which adjusted all variables that could affect sarcopenia and pulmonary function, showed significant association only with restrictive pattern (OR 1.736, 95% CI 1.230-2.449). However, when the sex was analyzed separately, only the odds ratio of restrictive patterns increased significantly for men (OR 1.753, 95% CI 1.005-3.059), there was no significant difference in women. Conclusion: The association between sarcopenia and pulmonary function in the restrictive pattern, not obstructive pattern, was significant in South Korean. The results of this study show that sarcopenia is more associated with a restrictive pattern rather than obstructive, especially in males.