Muscle Fat Infiltration, Physical Performance Decline in Older Adults, Sarcopenia
Conditions
Keywords
Sarcopenia, Older adults, Muscle quality, Intramuscular fat, Ultrasound imaging, Physical performance, Geriatric rehabilitation
Brief summary
Sarcopenia in older adults is associated not only with loss of muscle mass but also with deterioration of muscle quality, particularly intramuscular fat infiltration. While muscle mass is commonly assessed, muscle quality remains insufficiently explored in routine clinical practice. The FATUS-OLD study aims to evaluate the clinical relevance of a novel ultrasound-based multiparametric approach to assess intramuscular fat infiltration and muscle volume in hospitalized older adults undergoing rehabilitation. The main hypothesis is that higher intramuscular fat infiltration at baseline is associated with poorer recovery of physical performance at 6 months, independently of muscle volume. This non-invasive, rapid, and radiation-free imaging approach could improve sarcopenia phenotyping and help identify new prognostic biomarkers for clinical follow-up and future interventional trials.
Detailed description
FATUS-OLD is a prospective, monocentric, open-label, non-randomized observational study conducted at Nantes University Hospital. The study includes older adults aged 75 years and older hospitalized in a rehabilitation day-hospital program for gait or balance disorders. Participants undergo ultrasound assessments of skeletal muscle using a CE-marked ultrasound device capable of measuring muscle volume and intramuscular fat infiltration through matrix-based analysis. Measurements are performed at baseline and during follow-up. The primary objective is to assess the prognostic value of baseline intramuscular fat infiltration on physical performance recovery at 6 months, evaluated using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Secondary objectives include the relationship between muscle volume, muscle quality, muscle strength, appendicular lean mass measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and clinically significant events such as falls, loss of independence, rehospitalization, and mortality. The study is exploratory and aims to validate innovative ultrasound-derived biomarkers of muscle quality in a real-life geriatric population.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Nantes University Hospital
AGENCE NATIONALE DE RECHERCHE
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
75 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age ≥ 75 years * Hospitalized in rehabilitation day-hospital program * Written informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Moderate to severe neurocognitive disorders * Inability to comply with study procedures
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score | Baseline to 6 months | Difference between SPPB score at baseline and at 6 months, used to evaluate recovery of physical performance in relation to baseline intramuscular fat infiltration. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Association between muscle volume and appendicular lean mass | Baseline | Correlation between ultrasound-derived muscle volume (with and without correction for intramuscular fat infiltration) and appendicular lean mass measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. |
| Association between muscle volume and muscle strength | Baseline and 6 months | Relationship between muscle volume and maximal muscle strength for corresponding muscle groups, with and without correction for intramuscular fat infiltration. |
| Occurrence of clinically significant events | Up to 6 months | Incidence of falls, loss of independence, rehospitalization, cognitive decline, institutionalization, and mortality. |
Countries
France
Outcome results
None listed