Article (Scientific journals)
Frequently Reported Blood Biomarkers in Sarcopenia Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Calluy, Emma; Malrechauffé, Yveline; Boretti, Emma et al.
2026 • In Aging Cell, 25 (2), p. 70361
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Keywords :
biomarkers; meta‐analysis; randomised controlled trials; reference standards; sarcopenia; Biomarkers; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Aged; Sarcopenia/blood; Biomarkers/blood; Aging; Cell Biology
Abstract :
[en] This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to identify the most frequently reported blood-based biomarkers (BBMs) in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) addressing sarcopenia management, and to perform a preliminary evaluation of the effects of sarcopenia-specific interventions on BBMs concentrations. Medline, Embase and CENTRAL databases were searched to retrieve RCTs published until March 2024 (PROSPERO: CRD42024603238) on older participants with sarcopenia. Eligible studies applied a consensus definition of sarcopenia and reported BBM values before and after intervention. Meta-analyses were performed for BBMs reported in a minimum of 2 RCTs using a random effects model with a standardised mean difference (SMD) and a 95% confidence interval. Among 58 RCTs on sarcopenia management, only 21 (36.2%) assessed BBMs and none involved pharmacological interventions. Altogether, 47 distinct BBMs were identified. The most frequently reported were C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumour necrosis factor α, Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). Muscle-specific BBM, follistatin, growth differentiation factor 8 and 15 were assessed in only 2 RCTs. Among non-muscle-specific BBMs, IGF-1 was significantly impacted by the studied interventions (SMD = 0.46, CI = [0.04; 0.88]). However, this change was not significant when analyses were restricted to RCTs reporting significant improvement in key sarcopenia measures. Despite substantial heterogeneity, few BBMs assessed in sarcopenia RCTs were muscle-specific and limited biomarkers responded to interventions. There is an urgent need to adopt recommendations regarding muscle-specific BBMs to be assessed in sarcopenia RCTs. Developing a standardised Core Outcome Set for sarcopenia intervention studies would enhance the standardisation of sarcopenia RCTs and ultimately improve disease management.
Disciplines :
Laboratory medicine & medical technology
Author, co-author :
Calluy, Emma  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Centre Interdisciplinaire de Recherche sur le Médicament (CIRM) ; Public Health Aging Research & Epidemiology (PHARE) Group, Research Unit in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (URPC), NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), Department of Biomedical Sciences-Faculty of Medicine, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Malrechauffé, Yveline;  Research Unit in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (URPC), NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Boretti, Emma;  Research Unit in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (URPC), NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Van Heden, Sophie;  Public Health Aging Research & Epidemiology (PHARE) Group, Research Unit in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (URPC), NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), Department of Biomedical Sciences-Faculty of Medicine, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Sanchez-Rodriguez, Dolores ;  Geriatrics Department, Brugmann University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium ; Rehabilitation Research Group, Hospital Del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
Chan, Yoke Mun;  Department of Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia ; Malaysian Research Institute on Ageing, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
Cavalier, Etienne  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de pharmacie > Chimie médicale
Ladang, Aurélie  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de pharmacie > Chimie médicale
Reginster, Jean-Yves  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique ; Protein Research Chair, Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Douxfils, Jonathan ;  Research Unit in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (URPC), NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium ; QUALIresearch, QUALIblood s.a., Namur, Belgium ; Department of Biological Hematology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Clermont-Ferrand, Hopital Estaing, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Beaudart, Charlotte ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Epidémiologie générale ; Public Health Aging Research & Epidemiology (PHARE) Group, Research Unit in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (URPC), NAmur Research Institute for LIfe Sciences (NARILIS), Department of Biomedical Sciences-Faculty of Medicine, University of Namur, Namur, Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
Frequently Reported Blood Biomarkers in Sarcopenia Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Publication date :
February 2026
Journal title :
Aging Cell
ISSN :
1474-9718
eISSN :
1474-9726
Publisher :
John Wiley and Sons Inc
Volume :
25
Issue :
2
Pages :
e70361
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funding text :
J.D. is the Director of the Board, the Chief Scientific Officier and the Founder of QUALIblood, a contract research organisation that received funding from several pharmaceutical industries. He also reports personal fees from Daiichi Sankyo, Diagnostica Stago, DOASense, Gedeon Richter, GyneBioPharma, LiBBMs, Mayne Pharma, Portola, Roche, Roche Diagnostics, Synlab, YHLO and Werfen.
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