GDLAM and SPPB batteries for screening sarcopenia in community-dwelling Spanish older adults: Healthy-age network study

Objectives: To determine the diagnostic ability of GDLAM and SPPB batteries to classify people with sarcopenia according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP19).Study design: This cross-sectional study recruited 584 participants (240 men, 65.33 +/- 8.68 years old). The diagnostic criteria of the EWGSOP19 for probable, confirmed and severe sarcopenia were used as the standard. Then, the Latin American Group for Maturity battery-GDLAM-and the short physical performance battery-SPPB-were measured. The ability as screening methods of these two batteries were determined by specific indicators including sensitivity, specificity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and area under the ROC curves (AUC).Main outcome measures: Anthropometric variables (Body mass, height, triceps, thigh and calf skinfolds and relaxed arm, middle-thigh and calf girths), handgrip strength (HG), chair stand, 4 m walk, and timed-up-and-go -tests (TUG) as well as the Latin American Group for Maturity battery (GDLAM) and the short physical perfor-mance battery (SPPB) were performed.Results: The GDLAM battery shows a sensitivity from moderate to high (60.1-72.2 %), and specificity from moderate (57.6 %) to very high (90.7 %) to identify sarcopenia categories (probable, confirmed and severe). However, the SPPB battery shows a lack of classification ability for probable sarcopenia (AUC = 0.436; p = 0.123), confirmed sarcopenia (AUC = 0.499; p = 0.959) and severe sarcopenia (AUC = 0.484; p = 0.532). Those participants classified as probable sarcopenia or confirmed sarcopenia measured by GDLAM battery according to the cut-off points obtained in the ROC curve showed a higher probability to be in the probable sarcopenia (OR = 2.8; p = 0.001) or confirmed sarcopenia categories (OR = 10; p = 0.002), respectively, based on EWGSOP19 criteria.Conclusions: The GDLAM screening battery showed improved properties in terms of distinguishing individuals at risk for sarcopenia from those who were not.