Prevalence of sarcopenia in inpatient rehabilitation.

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Background and justification. Inpatient rehabilitation is a hospital inpatient service that maximises patient's function prior to discharge from hospital by using an intensive daily therapy program. Sarcopenia is a medical condition characterized by low muscle mass and function, and it occurs in 5% to 50% of adults who live in the community (that is, not in hospitals, nursing homes or other institutions), depending on their age. Sarcopenia is associated with greater functional dependence and disability, which means that people who have it are more likely to need help from others or have difficulty with such basic everyday tasks as waling or taking a shower. The frequency with which sarcopenia occurs in inpatient rehabilitation is not known. Aim. The aim of this project is to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia (or the frequency with which it occurs) in inpatient rehabilitation. Participant group. All cognitively intact patients who are admitted to inpatient rehabilitation unit of a tertiary referral inner metropolitan hospital will be eligible to participate in the study. Method. The patients will be assessed for the presence of sarcopenia. Expected outcomes. The anticipated outcome of this project is identifying the prevalence of sarcopenia in inpatient rehabilitation, both in the overall population and in diagnostic subgroups. Better understanding of this issue may lead to more appropriate clinical management of patients with sarcopenia in the setting of an inpatient rehabilitation unit.

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