Skeletal muscle atrophy: From mechanisms to treatments.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of mechanisms and therapeutic strategies without systematic review methodology or new human data
PubMed 34389456 · doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105807
What was done
This paper reviews the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle atrophy (including oxidative stress, inflammation, the ubiquitin-proteasome system, autophagy-lysosome pathways, and mTOR signaling) and summarizes current and investigational prevention and treatment approaches.
What was found
No quantitative empirical data or effect sizes are reported in the abstract. The authors note that muscle atrophy involves reduced fiber cross-sectional area and force generation, driven by an imbalance in protein synthesis and degradation. Exercise is identified as the most effective established intervention, while several pharmacological candidates evaluated in clinical trials have not yet reached market approval.
Why it matters
It provides a consolidated conceptual framework of molecular pathways driving muscle wasting across chronic disease, aging, and cancer, highlighting potential targets for pharmacological development.
Limits
The paper is a non-systematic narrative review without defined search criteria, quality appraisal of included studies, or quantitative synthesis. No specific clinical trial outcomes, patient populations, or effect estimates are detailed in the abstract.
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