To explore the association between hysterectomy and sarcopenia risk.
Approach:
Epidemiological Analysis: Utilized cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2001-2018) to assess the association between hysterectomy and sarcopenia.
Animal Model Study: Employed a senescence-accelerated mouse model (SAMP8) to examine the effects of hysterectomy on muscle function and related molecular pathways.
Key Findings:
Hysterectomy was associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.00–1.82; p = 0.049).
The risk was higher in women who underwent both hysterectomy and oophorectomy (OR = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.45–2.93; p < 0.001).
In SAMP8 mice, hysterectomy led to reduced grip strength, shorter endurance time, and decreased muscle fiber size.
Molecular analyses indicated activation of the FOXO1–MuRF-1/Atrogin-1 pathway and changes consistent with ferroptosis-related signaling.
Interpretation:
Limitations:
The study is observational and cannot establish causality.
Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms involved.
