mTOR and indicators of sarcopenia in patients with chronic kidney disease receiving hemodialysis treatment

Abstract

The aim: to assess the prevalence of protein-energy wasting (PEW) and reduction of muscle strength in patients with chronic kidney disease C5D stage (CKD5D), and to determine the role of mTOR in the processes of protein degradation and the development of sarcopenia in the studied group.

Patients and methods: The study included 80 patients with CKD5D (47 men and 33 women) receiving hemodialysis treatment. The average age was 51.7 ± 11.6 years. All patients underwent dynamic dy-namometry, bioimpedancemetry, and determination of the level of mTOR (“ELISA Kit”, USA) in the blood serum using an open enzyme immunoassay.

Results: The prevalence of PEW (according to Bilbrey, Cohen) in the group was 91.5% in men and 87.9 % in women. A decrease in muscle strength was found in 12.8 % of men and in 27.3 % of women. A statistically significant relationship was found between the mTOR level and the “dry weight,” basal metabolism, fluctuation of the dose of iron, average monthly dose of iron. A weak direct correlation between muscle strength and daily caloric intake of food (r = 0.22, p<0.05) was revealed.

Conclusion: Our data were confirm the involvement of mTOR in the activation of catabolic processes in patients with CKD5D and the development of sarcopenia, clinically manifested by a decrease in muscle strength. mTOR can be considered as a promising prognostic molecular marker in assessing the risk of sarcopenia in patients with CKD5D.