Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41731802›Full record

ArticleMedicine2026

Association of lower hemoglobin-to-RDW ratio with sarcopenia: Insights from a nationally representative NHANES 2011-2018 study in the United States.

Weijun Zhang, Kun Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Weijun ZhangDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.
Kun LiFirst Clinical Medical College, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China.ORCID 0009-0003-5640-0839

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Lifestyle changes have led to a rising incidence of sarcopenia, which adversely affects quality of life and health. Inflammation and malnutrition play key roles in its development. The hemoglobin-to-red cell distribution width ratio (HRR) is a blood marker reflecting these factors. This study explores the relationship between HRR and sarcopenia risk and its potential as a predictive tool. We utilized National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey datasets spanning 2011 to 2018, comprising 10,492 adults aged 20 years and older. Sarcopenia was defined according to standard criteria for muscle mass. HRR was divided into 4 quartile groups (Q1 to Q4). We conducted multivariate logistic regression to examine the relationship between HRR and the risk of sarcopenia. To assess potential nonlinear associations, restricted cubic spline models were applied. Additionally, subgroup analyses were carried out to test the stability of the results. We identified 931 cases of sarcopenia, representing 8.87% of all participants. Multivariable logistic regression showed that HRR as a continuous variable was significantly inversely associated with sarcopenia risk (Model 3: odds ratio [OR] = 0.39, 95% confidence interval: 0.24-0.66, P < .001). Compared with the Q1 group, the Q3 and Q4 groups had significantly lower risks of sarcopenia (Q3: OR = 0.78, P = .029; Q4: OR = 0.68, P = .002). The trend tests were statistically significant in all models (P for trend < .001). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed no significant nonlinear relationship, indicating a linear inverse association between HRR and sarcopenia. Subgroup analysis revealed no significant interactions, supporting the robustness of the results. Lower HRR levels may be an independent risk factor for sarcopenia. HRR might contribute to the early recognition and risk assessment of populations prone to sarcopenia. Prospective investigations are essential to substantiate its predictive capacity and reveal the mechanisms involved.

Indexed as

Erythrocyte IndicesHemoglobinsSarcopeniaAdultAgedBiomarkersCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNutrition SurveysRisk FactorsUnited StatesBiomarkersHemoglobinscross-sectional studyepidemiologyhemoglobin-to-red blood cell distribution width ratioNHANESsarcopenia

Identifiers

PMID41731802
PMCPMC12928964

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.