Abstract
BackgroundSarcopenia is a decrease in skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, and muscle strength in older people. In this study, we aimed to explore the correlation between comorbidity and skeletal muscle mass and physical performance in older people.MethodsThis retrospective study included 168 subjects. Their medical history, physical function, computed tomography (CT) chest scans, and blood tests for nutrition were evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups: (1) a low muscle mass group and (2) a normal muscle mass group. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to compare multiple sets of mean vectors.ResultsOverall, 72.02% of the subjects had a low skeletal muscle index (SMI) and low gait speed. The patients with low skeletal muscle mass and physical performance were older, had more serious comorbidities, and had longer average hospitalization periods and lower albumin and hemoglobin levels. Subjects with a high Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) were more likely to be in the sarcopenic group than in the non-sarcopenic group. In addition, there was a linear correlation between the CCI and SMI (r = − 0.549, P < 0.05), and between the CCI and gait speed (r = − 0.614, P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) value for low skeletal muscle mass with the CCI was 0.879.ConclusionsWe identified an independent association between comorbidity and skeletal muscle mass/physical performance by researching the correlation between the CCI and SMI/gait speed. Our results suggested that the CCI score may have important clinical diagnostic value for sarcopenia.
Highlights
Sarcopenia is a decrease in skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, and muscle strength in older people
EWGSOP2 reported that sarcopenia is probable when low muscle strength is detected and sarcopenia diagnosis is confirmed by the presence of low muscle quantity or quality
We reviewed the comorbidity characteristics of chronic diseases in older people potentially suffering from sarcopenia and studied the association between skeletal muscle mass/physical performance and Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) scores
Summary
Sarcopenia is a decrease in skeletal muscle mass, physical performance, and muscle strength in older people. In 2010, a definition for sarcopenia was published by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP). They defined it as a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength with a risk of adverse outcomes such as physical disability, poor quality of life, and death [1]. Sarcopenia is deemed to be severe in cases of low muscle strength, low muscle quantity/quality, and low physical performance. It has a relatively high incidence among the elderly [3]. The occurrence of sarcopenia leads to a decline in the quality of life, frailty, and even death among older people [5, 6]
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