Muscle Ageing Sarcopenia Study Lifecourse (MASS_Lifecourse)

Establishing a life course cohort for advances in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia.

The Study

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass and function with advancing years. It has been recognised as an important health problem because it is common in older adults and associated with decline in physical function as well as a reduced quality of life. Sarcopenia can also lead to serious health consequences in terms of increased disability, illness and the need for increased health and social care.

Because of that there is considerable interest in understanding what causes sarcopenia, a crucial factor in developing new approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment. To gain a detailed understanding of sarcopenia across a range of ages, we have designed the MASS_Lifecourse study in collaboration with members of the public and patients.

The study is recruiting 160 adults aged 45 years and older) from both primary care (registered with a participating general practice in the Newcastle and North of Tyne) and from secondary care (Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust).

With over half of participants having now been recruited the study will:

• Be determining if it is acceptable and feasible to recruit a group of adults across a range of ages willing to undergo detailed studies of skeletal muscle including muscle biopsy
• Develop was of preventing Sarcopenia based on understanding changes in skeletal muscle in relation to lifestyle
• Use cutting edge scientific techniques to identify mechanisms of skeletal muscle loss/sarcopenia and develop biomarkers for early diagnosis.
• Determine relationships between skeletal muscle and immune function in skin to develop novel approaches to treatment.
• Develop a cohort of participants who can be offered the opportunity to take part in future studies and trials of new approaches to prevention, diagnosis and treatment.