Publications

Background: Sarcopenia often goes undetected in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D), and circulating markers such as C-terminal agrin fragment (CAF) may aid early identification. This study compared CAF levels across T2D, prediabetes (PD), and healthy controls, and examined their associations with muscle mass, strength, and sarcopenic index. Methods: Ninety-nine adults (42 T2D, 33 PD, 24 controls) underwent metabolic profiling, DXA-based body composition, isokinetic muscle testing, and CAF estimation via ELISA. Results: CAF levels were significantly higher in T2D compared to PD and controls. CAF correlated positively with age and HbA1c, and negatively with HOMA-B, muscle quality, and sarcopenic index. T2D participants had markedly higher odds of belonging to the highest CAF tertile.Conclusion: Elevated CAF levels in T2D, along with reduced muscle quality, suggest that circulating CAF may serve as a promising clinical marker for early detection of sarcopenia in diabetes.