Proportion and Characteristics of the Subjects with Low Muscle Mass and Abdominal Obesity among the Newly Diagnosed and Drug-Naive Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Background: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a serious public health concern, few studies have examined the clinical implications of SO in newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. We evaluated the prevalence of the newly diagnosed, drug-naive T2DM patients with low muscle mass with abdominal obesity and its association with insulin resistance and other diabetic complications. Methods: We classified 233 drug-naive T2DM subjects into four groups according to abdominal obesity (waist circumference >= 90 cm in men and >= 85 cm in women) and low muscle mass status (appendicular skeletal muscle <7.0 m(2) for men and <5.4 m(2) for women). Results: The proportion of the subjects with low muscle mass and abdominal obesity among the newly diagnosed, drug-naive T2DM patients was 8.2%. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) increased linearly according to body composition group from normal to abdominal obesity to both low muscle mass and abdominal obesity. The multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that subjects with low muscle mass and abdominal obesity (odds ratio [OR], 9.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.41 to 36.56) showed a higher risk for insulin resistance, defined as HOMA-IR >= 3, than those with abdominal obesity (OR, 5.36; 95% CI, 2.46 to 11.69), even after adjusting for other covariates. However, there were no differences in lipid profiles, microalbuminuria, or various surrogate markers for atherosclerosis among the four groups. Conclusion: Subjects with both low muscle mass and abdominal obesity had a higher risk of insulin resistance than those with low muscle mass or abdominal obesity only.