Exploring the impact of interleukins on sarcopenia development: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The role of interleukins in sarcopenia development has been acknowledged, yet the specifics of their involvement remain to be fully understood. This study aimed to explore alterations in interleukin levels among sarcopenia patients. Methods: Searches were conducted in Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Library for literature published up to May 2023. Eligible observational studies with a diagnosis of sarcopenia were included. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was utilized for quality assessment. For data synthesis, a random-effects model was used, and the Mantel-Haenszel method was used for pooled estimates. Results: Of the 7685 articles screened, 37 met the inclusion criteria. Statistically significant differences in the levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-10 were detected in sarcopenia patients. Specifically, IL-1 beta (95 % CI: 0.33 [0.12, 0.54], P < 0.05), IL-6 (95 % CI: 0.91 [0.59, 1.24], P < 0.05), and IL-10 (95 % CI: 0.11 [0.07,0.15], P < 0.05) were detected. However, no significant associations were found between serum IL-4 (95 % CI: 0.36 [-0.18, 0.42], P = 0.44), IL-8 (95 % CI: -1.05 [-3.06, 0.95], P = 0.3), IL-12 (95 % CI: -3.92 [-8.32,0.48], P = 0.08) or IL-17 (95 % CI: 0.22 [-2.43, 2.88], P = 0.87) and sarcopenia. Subgroup analysis showed no significant difference in IL-6 (95 % CI: -0.03 [-0.72, 0.66], P = 0.93) and IL-10 (95 % CI: 0.1 [-0.44, 0.64], P = 0.72) among patients with European standard sarcopenia. Conclusions: Inflammation plays a role in sarcopenia, and the serum levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-10 are associated with sarcopenia. Further research is needed to clarify these associations. Clinical Trials Registration Number: CRD42024506656.