The Asian working group for sarcopenia's new criteria updated in 2019 causing a change in sarcopenia prevalence in Japanese older adults requiring long-term care/support.
Yohei Sawaya, Masahiro Ishizaka, Akira Kubo and 5 others
PMID 33281290WHAT IT FOUND
In Japanese day-care users needing long-term care/support, the new AWGS 2019 criteria diagnosed sarcopenia in 60.2% versus 53.4% under AWGS 2014.
The rise was clear in men, but the female difference was not clear, and prevalence did not differ by age.
Key findings
01The new AWGS 2019 criteria diagnosed sarcopenia in 97 of 161 participants (60.2%), compared with 86 (53.4%) under AWGS 2014, with a significant increase overall and in men but not women.
02Low gait speed below the AWGS 2019 reference was found in 135 of 161 participants overall versus 104 under AWGS 2014, and low handgrip strength rose in men but not women because the female handgrip reference value did not change.
03Under AWGS 2019, sarcopenia prevalence did not differ significantly between adults aged 65-74 and those aged 75 or older, overall or by sex.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
29 participants could not stand for body composition measurement, so the sample may miss people at highest sarcopenia risk; the authors say true prevalence may be higher than 60.2%. The study was single-centre and only included people attending day care through the long-term care insurance system, so it may not apply to nursing-home residents or people not using day care. Participants had to understand instructions and be able to stand for bioelectrical impedance analysis, excluding severe dementia, pacemaker, amputation, and some physical limitations. The study did not test SARC-F, calf circumference, or clinical outcomes, so it cannot show that the new criteria improve care or predict decline. The analysis compared diagnostic criteria in the same people, not an intervention effect.
Declared interests
Funded by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS KAKENHI 18K17758); authors declare no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the higher prevalence as proof that older adults are becoming more sarcopenic. The study compared two diagnostic criteria in the same day-care sample, and the increase was significant overall and in men but not women; 29 people who could not stand for muscle measurement were excluded.