Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37581861›Full record

ArticleAging clinical and experimental research2023

Neurofilament-light chains (NF-L), a biomarker of neuronal damage, is increased in patients with severe sarcopenia: results of the SarcoPhAge study.

Aurélie Ladang, Stéphanie Kovacs, Laetitia Lengelé, Médéa Locquet, Charlotte Beaudart, Jean-Yves Reginster, Olivier Bruyère, Etienne Cavalier

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed
3.3field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Novel biomarkers for sarcopenia: a narrative review.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2026
    Review
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  8. Relationship of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Plasma Biomarkers With Mobility in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Observational
  14. Associations of Neurological Biomarkers in Serum With Gait Measures: The Cardiovascular Health Study.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2024
    Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Aurélie LadangClinical Chemistry Department, CHU de Liège, University of Liège, Avenue de L'Hopital, 1, 4000, Liège, Belgium. aladang@chuliege.be.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5316-3108
Stéphanie KovacsClinical Chemistry Department, CHU de Liège, University of Liège, Avenue de L'Hopital, 1, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
Laetitia LengeléWHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Aspects of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
Médéa LocquetWHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Aspects of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
Charlotte BeaudartWHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Aspects of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
Jean-Yves ReginsterWHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Aspects of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
Olivier BruyèreWHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Aspects of Musculoskeletal Health and Aging, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology and Health Economics, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
Etienne CavalierClinical Chemistry Department, CHU de Liège, University of Liège, Avenue de L'Hopital, 1, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
University of Liège · BE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAs clinical tests, such as gait speed, require nervous system integrity to be performed properly, sarcopenia shares features with neurological diseases. Neurofilament light chains (NF-L) are now used as a blood-biomarker of neuronal damage, and its expression might be altered in sarcopenia. We aimed to assess NF-L concentrations in a large cohort of older individuals screened for sarcopenia.

methodsThe SarcoPhAge cohort is a Belgian cohort of 534 community-dwelling older adults with an ongoing 10-year follow-up. Sarcopenia diagnosis was established at inclusion according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2) criteria. Muscle strength was evaluated with a hydraulic hand dynamometer, appendicular lean mass by Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and physical performance by the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). NF-L was measured on all available sera collected at the time of inclusion (n = 409) using SiMoA technology (Quanterix°).

resultsIn the multivariate model, NF-L was associated with performance tests such as gait speed (p < 0.0001) and SPPB scores (p = 0.0004). An association was also observed with muscle strength (p = 0.0123) and lean mass (p = 0.0279). In the logistic regression model, NF-L was an independent predictor of severe sarcopenia (p = 0.0338; OR = 20.0; 95% CI 1.39-287.7) with satisfactory diagnostic accuracy (AUC: 0.828) and subjects with an SPPB score ≤ 8 had higher odds of having increased NF-L (p < 0.0001; OR = 23.9; 95% CI 5.5-104).

conclusionsThese data highlight the potential for using NF-L to investigate the pathophysiology of sarcopenia severity and the neurological features associated with performance tests. However, these results need to be confirmed with other cohorts in different settings.

Indexed as

SarcopeniaAbsorptiometry, PhotonAgedHand StrengthHumansIntermediate FilamentsMuscle StrengthBiomarkersNeurofilamentsNfLSarcopenia

Identifiers

PMID37581861
PMCPMC10520189
OpenAlexW4385827458

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.