Objective  To explore the efficacy of calcitriol soft capsules combined with progressive resistance training (PRT) in senile sarcopenia patients.

Methods  From September 2023 to December 2024, elderly sarcopenia patients from the Geriatrics Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were selected and were randomly divided into two equal groups: the monotherapy group and the combination group. The monotherapy group received only calcitriol soft capsules without specific exercise requirements, while the combination group was administered calcitriol soft capsules combined with PRT, with all patients undergoing continuous intervention for 6 months. The primary observed endpoint of this study was the treatment response rate. Additionally, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) and calculate the ASM index (ASMI); a hand dynamometer was employed to measure the hand grip strength (HGS) of the dominant hand; muscle activity ability was evaluated via the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score; serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL- 6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3) levels were determined by HPLC.

Results  A total of 89 patients were included, with 45 in the monotherapy group and 44 in the combination group. The total effective rate of the combination group was significantly higher than that of the monotherapy group (90.91% vs. 73.33%, P﹤0.05). Before intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in the scores of ASM, ASMI, HGS and SPPB, and the levels of serum IL-6, TNF-α and 25-OHD3 between the monotherapy group and the combination group of sarcopenia patients (P﹥0.05). Further analysis showed that the scores of ASM, ASMI, HGS and SPPB in sarcopenia patients of the combination group were significantly higher than those of the monotherapy group six months after the intervention (P<0.05). In addition, the levels of serum IL-6 and TNF-α in sarcopenia patients of the combination group were significantly lower than those of the monotherapy group six months after the intervention (P<0.05), while the level of serum 25-OHD3 was significantly higher than that of the monotherapy group (P<0.05).

Conclusion  Calcitriol capsules combined with PRT significantly increased muscle function in elderly patients with sarcopenia, increased serum 25-OHD3 levels, and reduced inflammation.

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