Abstract
Introduction: Frailty phenotype represents weight loss, decreased functional and physical capacity and activity, falls, slow gait, and memory impairment. Sarcopenia is a generalized and progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, which occurs due to primary effects of aging and secondary effects of other causes including diseases, malnutrition, and inactivity.Materials and Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was performed on 70 critically ill geriatric patients (of age > 60 years) admitted in Medicine ICU (MICU) from December 2020 to May 2021 at a rural medical school at Wardha in central rural India. We assessed sarcopenia in all the patients by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria and compared it with the modified frailty index. All the patients were divided in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic groups; frailty index was applied, and outcomes were measured in terms of mortality, the need for ventilation, and length of ICU stay.Results: In this study, the mean age of the patients was 68.61 ± 5.88 years in the sarcopenic group and 69.10 ± 6.31 years in the non-sarcopenic group. Eighteen (42.86%) patients in the sarcopenic group were severely frail, whereas eight (28.57%) patients in the non-sarcopenic group (p = 0.532) were not. In the sarcopenic severely frail group, mortality was six (14.29%), and eight (19.05%) required ventilation (p = 0.001), whereas in the non-sarcopenic severely frail group, mortality as well as the need for ventilation were four (14.29%) (p = 0.0001). Total duration of ICU stays was 4.30 ± 1.07 days in the sarcopenic group (n = 42), whereas it was 3.85 ± 1.23 days in the non-sarcopenic group (n = 28) (p = 0.10).Conclusion: Our study found that critically ill patients with sarcopenia had more tendency to become frail, thereby increased risk of mortality. A timely routine assessment for sarcopenia upon ICU admission may provide an important prognostic factor in patient outcomes.
Highlights
Frailty phenotype represents weight loss, decreased functional and physical capacity and activity, falls, slow gait, and memory impairment
Our study found that critically ill patients with sarcopenia had more tendency to become frail, thereby increased risk of mortality
Sarcopenia is a generalized and progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function, which occurs due to the primary effects of aging and secondary effects of other causes including diseases, malnutrition, and inactivity [2]
Summary
Frailty phenotype represents weight loss, decreased functional and physical capacity and activity, falls, slow gait, and memory impairment. In 2010, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) gave a worldwide accepted definition of sarcopenia, which was later altered by them (EWGSOP2) in 2018 It was redefined as lower muscle strength, lower muscle quantity or quality, and lower physical performance [3]. This title is especially denoted for geriatric patients; previously, it was not been very well defined in the critically ill patients of ICU [4]. Some studies believe that frailty in the patients who are critically ill is required for evaluation and its correlation with endpoints such as existence, life quality, and its relation with the utilization of the resources like duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of ICU stay, and hospitalization [5].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
