Nonetheless, even though the classical measurement of sarcopenia (muscle size) was not different between the groups, other muscle composition changes, such as skeletal muscle density and adipose infiltration, may be different between individuals and potentially impact performance and functional activities.
In addition to the direct effects of glucocorticoids on bone cells, other skeletal effects are mediated by neuroendocrine changes, such as functional GH deficiency, hypogonadism and possible qualitative abnormalities of PTH secretion.
Indeed, a recent study suggests that diffusion tensor MRI offers promise over traditional MRI to detect subtle changes such as Z-band streaming in human skeletal muscle postexercise.
There is also evidence that an exercise stimulus may be needed for ACE inhibition to promote adaptive changes, such as an increase in capillary density, in skeletal muscle.
In the skeletal muscle, diabetes leads to a variety of structural, functional, and metabolic changes, such as muscle atrophy, muscle weakness, and the reduction in energy turnover.
Skeletal changes in the sacroiliac joints in AS are characterized by the concomitant presence of catabolic changes such as erosions as well as new bone formation leading to progressive ankylosis.
If adipocytes are overloaded, not abundant enough, or regulatory mechanisms are impaired, fat is stored ectopically, which frequently induces pathological changes such as fatty liver, lipid cardiomyopathy, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance and skeletal muscle myopathy.
To determine if a direct effect on muscle or anterior horn cells could be involved, we performed histological and electromyographic evaluation of skeletal muscle from BAC expansion lines but did not observe any pathological changes suggestive of denervation or myopathy or any functional changes such as myotonia (data not shown).
Quantitative measurements of skeletal plasma clearance provided a more sensitive indicator of response to treatment than visual assessments alone and were able to confirm the regional differences observed at sites of prominent visual changes such as the calvarium.
