Sarcopenia, Frailty and Dismobility

Abstract

Sarcopenia is the progressive involution of musculature, with a decrease of power and with limitation of physical and cognitive functions, including isolation, loss of independence and impairment of the quality of life. It is a gerontology syndrome, a component of age-related frailty. Because of the dismobility there is a hazard of falls and fractures with a significant mortality risk. This article reviews the relation of sarcopenia to aging, definition and epidemiology and pathophysiology of sarcopenia with publications and recommendations for screening, diagnostic tools and therapeutic modalities.Sarcopenia is a progressive loss of muscle mass and power because of the gradual disintegration of the locomotor musculature becoming more prominent in older age. Sarcopenia results in the progressive limitation of muscular functions, first of all mobility, consequently the daily life activities and participation in the family and social life. The affected persons become isolated and need supportive care and are at risk of falls, low energy bone fractures and other traumas. These conditions lead to a decrease of cognitive abilities, anxiety and depression. With several possible age-related co-morbidities fundamentally determines the quality of life and means a significant burden for the affected individuals and for their families as the demographic trends show the growing elderly populations, sarcopenia is an emerging serious public health concern. This burden may be reduced by the early recognition of sarcopenia and its progression may be retarded with protective measures.The phenomenon of sarcopenia appeared first in the gerontology literature in 1987. After several symptomatic descriptions the first systematic attempt to describe the possible causes and mechanisms and defined this complex process as a loss of balance between synthesis and degradation of muscle proteins [1]. The question remains constant: till what sarcopenia can be an obligatory part of the physiological aging and from should it be considered a disease. The physiological reserve of the musculature is decreasing with the “successful aging”, however in “accelerated aging” the simple degradation becomes a constituent of the physical frailty and with further progression leads to disability and to the loss of independence [2]. In the age-related frailty sarcopenia represents the poor muscle quality, resulting in weak muscle strength, slow gait and poor balance and these are added to the frailty complex, as accumulated deficits: weight loss, fatigue, inactive behavior, cognitive impairment and social isolation [3]. During the life course early life years are characterized with the growth of muscle mass and power to maximize the peak, adults should maintain them. In older life efforts should be made to minimize the loss among even very different individual conditions [4].According to the recent European consensus of The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) the diagnostic criteria of sarcopenia are: low muscle mass and at least one of the two further, low muscle strength and/o low physical performance. The cut-off points of these are determined in algorithms. In all the three stages of sarcopenia the low muscle mass should be present, in presarcopenia low muscle mass only, in sarcopenia low strength or weak performance added, in severe sarcopenia is characterized by all three criteria [5]. However, a meta-analysis showed, that average values of criteria elements may vary according to populations studies and methods used [6]. This is reflected in the multi-continental epidemiological study including 18 363 people over 65 years in surveys conducted in 9 countries on five continents the prevalence of sarcopenia was found between 12,6 and 17,5 per cent, sarcopenic obesity (low muscle mass with high body fat) ranged from 1,3 to 11,0 per cent [7]. In the European BELFRAIL study using the EWGSOP criteria sarcopenia was found 12,5 per cent among very old (aged 80 years or more) [8].

Authors and Affiliations

Edit Vereckei, Andrea Ildikó Gasparik, László Hodinka

Keywords

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  • EP ID EP598302
  • DOI 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.07.001472
  • Views 141
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Edit Vereckei, Andrea Ildikó Gasparik, László Hodinka (2018). Sarcopenia, Frailty and Dismobility. Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research (BJSTR), 7(2), 5776-5779. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-598302