High Resolution-peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography (HR-pQCT) skeletal phenotype clustering associated with muscle function in older men and women: the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA)
Authors' conclusion
These findings suggest the concept of bone phenotypic-specific associations with lower but not upper extremity muscle function and have possible implications for the interaction between skeletal phenotypes and muscle function as potential contributory factors to fracture risk.
Study context
- Population
- Community-dwelling older women and men in SOMMA (first annual follow-up visit; 61% women; 87% White); Distal tibia (DT) N = 321 (76.3 ± 4.6 yr), DR N = 295 (76.1 ± 4.5 yr)DT N = 321
- Exposure
- HR-pQCT skeletal phenotype clusters at distal tibia and radius
- Outcome
- Muscle function by DT and DR clusters
Methodological detailsunsupervised clustering, HR-pQCT, within-sex standardization
- Unsupervised clustering
- HR-pQCT
- Within-sex standardization
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Women: DT C3 associated with lower leg power (p < .05)
- Men: DT C3 associated with lower stair climb and leg power (p < .05)
- No significant difference in grip strength between DT clusters
- DR: no significant difference or association between muscle function and clusters, women and men
- Linear regression models
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Bone strength and density by DT cluster
- DT C2 and C3 had lower micro finite element failure loads; cortical load fraction higher in C2, lower in C3
- C2 and C3 had similar proportions of osteoporotic and osteopenic/low bone density individuals
Original publication
HR-pQCT skeletal phenotype clustering associated with muscle function in older men and women: the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA). J Bone Miner Res. Published 30 April 2026. doi:10.
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