Biomarkers in sarcopenia have garnered increasing interest. This study aims to systematically identify biomarkers with potential diagnostic significance for sarcopenia, as well as those exhibiting correlations with sarcopenia, particularly biomarkers reporting quantitative pooled data. This umbrella review adhered to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Data sources including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from the inception of data to April 7, 2025. The AMSTAR 2 tool and QUADAS-2 tool was utilized to assess the methodological quality of including studies, while the GRADE approach was used to evaluate the quality of evidence in these studies. A total of 22 studies were included. The identified biomarkers encompass inflammatory, metabolic, hormonal, amino acid-related, genetic, and other categories. The evidence quality for most biomarkers was rated as very low. The creatinine to cystatin C (Cr/CysC) ratio emerged as the most frequently utilized diagnostic biomarker, demonstrating moderate diagnostic accuracy. However, its diagnostic performance exhibited variability across different diagnostic criteria. Biomarkers associated with sarcopenia predominantly demonstrated weak or negligible inverse correlations. Inflammatory biomarkers underwent the most comprehensive investigation. Patients with sarcopenia exhibited elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels compared to controls, with these markers showing post-intervention improvement. Some metabolic and amino acid biomarkers were found to be lower in patients with sarcopenia than in the control group. The Cr/CysC ratio demonstrates moderate diagnostic accuracy and represents the most frequently utilized diagnostic biomarker for sarcopenia. Inflammatory biomarkers constitute the predominant biomarkers and exhibit general elevation in sarcopenia patients. Following sarcopenia interventions, alterations in biomarker expression levels are observed, suggesting novel therapeutic applications for these biomarkers.

Degenerative musculoskeletal disorders are a group of age-related diseases of the locomotive system that severely affects the patient's ability to work and cause adverse sequalae such as fractures and even death. The incidence and prevalence of degenerative musculoskeletal disorders is rising owing to the aging of the world's population. The Notch signaling pathway, which is expressed in almost all organ systems, extensively regulates cell proliferation and differentiation as well as cellular fate. Notch signaling shows increased activity in degenerative musculoskeletal disorders and retards the progression of degeneration to some extent. The review focuses on four major degenerative musculoskeletal disorders (osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia) and summarizes the pathophysiological functions of Notch signaling in these disorders, especially its role in stem/progenitor cells in each disorder. Finally, a conclusion will be presented to explore the research and application of the perspectives on Notch signaling in degenerative musculoskeletal disorders.

Frozen shoulder (FS), characterized by pain and restricted mobility, remains a challenging condition with unclear optimal treatment. This study aims to investigate the development of FS research, identify hotspot treatments, and verify their efficacy. Analyzing 3139 FS-related publications from the Web of Science Core Collection revealed a significant rise in publications (R² = 0.9478), with the United States as a leader in this research area. Our keyword analysis pinpointed suprascapular nerve block (SSNB) as a notable research focus since 2021. To assess the effectiveness of SSNB, we conducted a meta-analysis of eight randomized controlled trials including 435 patients. The results at the 6-8 weeks follow-up showed SSNB significantly reduced pain and improved active shoulder function compared to intra-articular corticosteroid injections (IACI). Specifically, SSNB led to considerable enhancements in abduction (SMD: 12.88; 95 % CI: 4.13, 21.64; p = 0.004; I² = 54 %), flexion (SMD: 9.16; 95 % CI: 6.50, 11.82; p < 0.00001; I² = 0 %), and external rotation (SMD: 18.03; 95 % CI: 6.59, 29.48; p = 0.008; I² = 59 %). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) scores (SMD: 4.46; 95 % CIs: 7.75, -1.17; p = 0.008; I² = 59 %). Despite these findings, no differences were observed in the improvement of passive activities between the SSNB and IACI groups at any follow-up. This study supports the short-term benefits of SSNB for FS, prompting further investigation into its long-term efficacy and comparison with other treatments.

Introduction Arthroscopic-assisted medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) is a common surgical procedure for patellar dislocation. We present the protocol of a randomised controlled clinical trial to compare postoperative pain, knee function and quality of life outcomes of MPFL reconstruction using the non-absorbable surgical sutures (FiberWire) and semitendinosus tendon. Methods and analysis This single-blind, randomised controlled trial enrolled patients with patellar dislocation who were undergoing inpatient surgery at the Department of Orthopedics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University. Participants were randomly allocated to either the experimental or the control group using a random number table method, with an equal number of 15 subjects in each group. The experimental group was treated with a FiberWire for the MPFLR, whereas the control group received reconstruction using the semitendinosus tendon. A standardised postoperative rehabilitation protocol was implemented for both groups. All subjects will be evaluated for imaging, pain, knee function and quality of life at five time points: preoperatively and at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months postoperatively. MRI scans will be performed preoperatively and at 12 months postoperatively to assess changes in patellar tilt angles and congruence angles. Pain assessment is performed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Knee function will be assessed using the Kujala score, Lysholm score and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) knee function score. Quality of life was assessed using the 12-Item Short Form Survey scale. Ethics and dissemination The trial was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University on 26 October 2021 (ethics number: 202110478) and registered in the China Clinical Trials Registry on 15 March 2022. Data will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Trial registration number ChiCTR2200057574.