Sarcopenia and osteoarthritis of the hip joint

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a pathology characterized by a decrease in the mass and strength of muscle tissue in most cases in older people. Osteoarthritis is also a common disease in elderly patients and is characterized by irreversible destructive and dystrophic damage to the joints. Decompensated stages of osteoarthritis of the hip joint often require surgical treatment. It has been noted that the majority of patients requiring total hip replacement for osteoarthritis also suffer from sarcopenia. Considering the clinical and biomechanical role of the muscular system together with the musculoskeletal system, sarcopenia can affect the recovery process of patients after surgery and the success of the operation itself. However, scientific research on the influence of sarcopenia on the results of total hip arthroplasty is insufficient. This article presents the results of a study of the negative impact of sarcopenia in patients who underwent total hip replacement. The study identified sarcopenia as an important risk factor that orthopedic traumatologists should consider when surgically treating patients with stages 3–4 osteoar thritis.