Probable sarcopenia and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: exploring the role of frailty and comorbidities

Background Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle associated with reduced physical strength/performance and could be correlated with depression, that is the most frequent cause of emotional distress in old age and can reduce the quality of life of the older adults. Aim The aim of the present study is to evaluate the association between probable sarcopenia and depressive symptoms in older adults, and the impact of comorbidity and frailty on this association. Methods This cross-sectional study included community-dwelling older adults at their first geriatric evaluation. Probable sarcopenia was screened according to SARC-F. Clinically significant depressive symptoms (CSDS) were assessed according to the 5-items geriatric depression scale (GDS.) Frailty was determined through the CHSA-clinical frailty scale (CFS). Comorbidity burden was scored through the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric (CIRS-CI). Results We included 238 participants with a mean age of 82.4 (+/- 6.9) years of age, 152 (63.6%) participants were females. Probable sarcopenia was diagnosed in 131 (55.0%) participants, while CSDS were present in 186 (78.2%) participants. In the multiadjusted model, probable sarcopenia was associated with a higher likelihood of CSDS (OR 2.70, 95% CI 1.03-6.12). No significant interaction of frailty and CIRS were found on the association between probable sarcopenia and CSDS. Conclusions Sarcopenia and depressive symptomatology are highly co-occurring in geriatric patients, and this association may be independent of frailty and comordibity burden.