Prevalence of sarcopenia among hospitalized internal medicine patients: A cross-sectional single-center pilot study according to EWGSOP2 criteria

INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia is associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes among hospitalized patients with chronic diseases. Currently, an unmet need lies in its low diagnostic yield. We conducted a pilot study with the aim to screen hospitalized patients for sarcopenia using the EWGSOP2 criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study among hospitalized patients in internal medicine was carried out, inclusion criteria: age>55, ability to stand-up from a chair. Exclusion criteria: bed-bound, terminal stages of the disease, ICU stay. We measured hand-grip strength, fat-free mass by bioimpedance and short physical performance battery test (SPPB). Sarcopenia was diagnosed in low hand-grip strength and low muscle mass (EWGSOP2), severe sarcopenia in sarcopenic patients with low physical performance (SPPBT <= 8). RESULTS: 40 patients were enrolled, sarcopenia was diagnosed in 8/20 (40%) men and 3/20 (15%) women (p=0.15), severe sarcopenia in 6/20 men (30%) and 2/20 (10%) women (p=0.24). 65% of men and 40% of women had SPPBT <= 8, and 60% of men and 55% of women had gait speed <= 0.8m/s. CONCLUSION: Among hospitalized internal medicine patients sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia are common, particularly in males. New diagnostic criteria provide a relatively simple and applicable tool for screening among internal medicine inpatients (Tab. 3, Ref. 25).