Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39436549›Full record

ArticleGeroScience2025

Sex differences in the association between skeletal muscle energetics and perceived physical fatigability: the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (SOMMA).

Emma L Gay, Paul M Coen, Stephanie Harrison, Reagan E Garcia, Yujia Susanna Qiao, Bret H Goodpaster, Daniel E Forman, Frederico G S Toledo, Giovanna Distefano, Philip A Kramer and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in GeroScience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. A peripheral perspective on brain health: vascular and skeletal muscle contributions.American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology · 2026
    Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Emma L GayDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
Paul M CoenTranslational Research Institute, AdventHealth, Orlando, FL, 32804, USA.
Stephanie HarrisonSan Francisco Coordinating Center, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
Reagan E GarciaDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
Yujia Susanna QiaoSan Francisco Coordinating Center, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
Bret H GoodpasterTranslational Research Institute, AdventHealth, Orlando, FL, 32804, USA.
Daniel E FormanDepartment of Medicine (Geriatrics and Cardiology), University of Pittsburgh, and Geriatrics, Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
Frederico G S ToledoDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
Giovanna DistefanoTranslational Research Institute, AdventHealth, Orlando, FL, 32804, USA.
Philip A KramerDepartment of Internal Medicine-Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109, USA.
Sofhia V RamosTranslational Research Institute, AdventHealth, Orlando, FL, 32804, USA.
Anthony J A MolinaUniversity of California San Diego, School of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Care, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
Barbara J NicklasDepartment of Internal Medicine-Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109, USA.
Steven R CummingsSan Francisco Coordinating Center, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
Peggy M CawthonSan Francisco Coordinating Center, California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
Russell T HeppleDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
Anne B NewmanDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
Nancy W GlynnDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA. epidnwg@pitt.edu.

Funding

Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging: SOMMA2R01AG059416 · NIA · CALIFORNIA PACIFIC MED CTR RES INSTITUTE · PI STEVEN RON CUMMINGS, Peggy Mannen Cawthon · 2018 to 2026
$70.3M
Wake Forest Claude D. Pepper OAIC - RenewalP30AG021332 · NIA · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI Denise Kathryn Houston · 2002 to 2026
$36.4M
Wake Forest Clinical and Translational Science AwardUL1TR001420 · NCATS · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI ARD, JAMY D, FOLEY, KRISTIE L · 2015 to 2023
$32.3M
VARIABILITY, STABILITY & SMOOTHNESS OF WALKINGP30AG024827 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI Caterina Rosano · 2004 to 2026
$28.6M
TRAINING IN THE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF AGINGT32AG000181 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · PI STROTMEYER, ELSA S. · 1989 to 2025
$6.2M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR001420NIA NIH HHS P30 AG021332NIA NIH HHS P30 AG024827NIA NIH HHS R01 AG 059416NIA NIH HHS T32 AG000181
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Greater perceived physical fatigability and lower skeletal muscle energetics are both predictors of mobility decline. Characterizing associations between muscle energetics and perceived fatigability may provide insight into potential targets to prevent mobility decline. We examined associations of in vivo (maximal ATP production, ATPmax) and ex vivo (maximal carbohydrate supported oxidative phosphorylation [max OXPHOS] and maximal fatty acid supported OXPHOS [max FAO OXPHOS]) measures of mitochondrial energetics with two measures of perceived physical fatigability, Pittsburgh Fatigability Scale (PFS, 0-50, higher = greater) and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE Fatigability, 6-20, higher = greater) after a slow treadmill walk. Participants from the Study of Muscle, Mobility and Aging (N = 873) were 76.3 ± 5.0 years old, 59.2% women, and 85.3% White. Higher muscle energetics (both in vivo and ex vivo) were associated with lower perceived physical fatigability, all p < 0.03. When stratified by sex, higher ATPmax was associated with lower PFS Physical for men only; higher max OXPHOS and max FAO OXPHOS were associated with lower RPE Fatigability for both sexes. Higher skeletal muscle energetics were associated with 40-55% lower odds of being in the most (PFS ≥ 25, RPE Fatigability ≥ 12) vs least (PFS 0-4, RPE Fatigability 6-7) severe fatigability strata, all p < 0.03. Being a woman was associated with 2-3 times higher odds of being in the most severe fatigability strata when controlling for ATPmax but not the ex vivo measures (p < 0.05). Better mitochondrial energetics were linked to lower fatigability and less severe fatigability in older adults. Findings imply that improving skeletal muscle energetics may mitigate perceived physical fatigability and prolong healthy aging.

Indexed as

AgingEnergy MetabolismMuscle FatigueMuscle, SkeletalAdenosine TriphosphateAgedAged, 80 and overExercise TestFemaleHumansMaleMobility LimitationOxidative PhosphorylationSex FactorsAdenosine TriphosphateAgingEpidemiologyFatigueMitochondriaOxidative phosphorylation

Identifiers

PMID39436549
PMCPMC11979008

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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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.