I read the recent article published in this journal and written by Scheerman et al
1
with great interest. The authors investigated the association between sarcopenia,
handgrip strength (HGS), muscle mass, and long-term mortality among hospitalized older
patients aged ≥70 years. The hazard ratios (HRs) [95% confidence intervals (CIs)]
of probable sarcopenia and sarcopenia for long-term mortality were 1.53 (1.08-2.18)
and 1.71 (1.12-2.61), respectively. In male patients, HRs (95% CIs) of low HGS, skeletal
muscle mass index, and appendicular lean mass for long-term mortality were 2.66 (1.40-5.05),
1.95 (1.06-3.58), and 1.99 (1.12-3.53), respectively. They concluded that sarcopenia
could predict long-term mortality in older hospitalized patients, especially in men.
The authors handled inpatient subjects, and the magnitude of effect size increased
according to the progression of sarcopenia. Causes of stay in hospital might contribute
to subsequent prognosis and also relate to the level of sarcopenia. I think that mortality
risk among community-dwelling old subjects should also be checked to specify the relationship
between sarcopenia and subsequent mortality.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
- Sarcopenia, low handgrip strength, and low absolute muscle mass predict long-term mortality in older hospitalized patients: An observational inception cohort study.J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2021; 22: 816-820.e2
- Sarcopenia: Prevalence, associated factors, and the risk of mortality and disability in Japanese older adults.J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2021; 12: 30-38
- Prevalence and mortality of sarcopenia in a community-dwelling older Japanese population: the Hisayama Study.J Epidemiol. 2021; 31: 320-327
Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 10, 2021
Footnotes
The author declares no conflicts of interest.
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© 2021 AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
