Sarcopenia
Conditions
Brief summary
The loss of both muscle mass and quality with increasing age is called 'sarcopenia' and is a risk factor for falls, fractures and increased mortality. Sarcopenia is diagnosed with Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning (according to current criteria), but in Canada DXA scans are not approved to screen for this condition. One potential solution is Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS), since recent advances have made bedside ultrasound technology readily available as a rapid bedside screening tool.
Detailed description
Some recent work has examined the possibility of using ultrasound as a measure of both muscle quantity and muscle quantity. Work done by Strasser et al, has shown that ultrasonic measures of muscle thickness in the quadriceps muscle has a highly significant correlation with maximal voluntary contration. Other work done by Miron-Mombiela et al has shown that measures of muscle thickness and echointensity (a measure of muscle quality) also show high correlations with grip strength. These findings (supported by our pilot data, see Pilot Data) and new technological advances in bedside ultrasonic devices suggest that these measures might be a valuable contribution to the process of screening for sarcopenia in older adults. In this proposal, Investigators hypothesize that bedside ultrasound, which is increasingly becoming a mainstream component of the standard physical exam, will be a much more specific and accurate alternative to our current best screening methods.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTBed side Ultrasound
Handgrip strength will be measured using a digital grip strength dynamometer (Sammons Preston, Nottinghamshire, UK). This measurement is carried out three times using the subject's dominant hand, and then averaged
Sponsors
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
University of British Columbia
Study design
Observational model
CASE_ONLY
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Inclusion criteria
* each subject must be 65 years of age or greater
Exclusion criteria
* hemodialysis patients will be excluded, due to excessive fluid shifts with dialysis * patients using chronic oral corticosteroids will be excluded, due to potential muscle atrophy * hemiparesis due to a stroke or paresis of the lower limbs will be excluded * subjects with pitting edema on physical exam (due to liver, renal or heart failure) or patients that are severely dehydrated will be excluded * patients with myositis, systemic connective tissue disorders, systemic atrophies affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and CNS demyelinating diseases will be excluded
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| US measurement for Sarcopenia | through study completion, an average of 1 year | o establish PoCUS measures (muscle thickness, MT; echointensity, EI) as a new screening test for sarcopenia |
| Weight in kg | through study completion, an average of 1 year | weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2 |
| Height in cm | through study completion, an average of 1 year | weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2 |
| Handgrip strength in kg | through study completion, an average of 1 year | Handgrip strength cutoffs for sarcopenia for men and women |
Countries
Canada
Outcome results
None listed