Sarcopenia: pathogenesis and diagnosis

Abstract

Increase in life expectancy is among the most significant achievements of modern medicine. Currently, the majority of patients are elderly, being characterised by multimorbidity and frailty. Sarcopenia, a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, is associated with a reduced quality of life and high risk of adverse outcomes including disability and death in these patients. Age-related neuromuscular degeneration, decline of circulating anabolic hormones, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress considerably affect the development of sarcopenia. In addition, low intake of proteins and carbohydrates along with a decrease in physical activity also affect muscular homeostasis. Being combined with obesity, osteopenia/osteoporosis, and vitamin D deficiency, sarcopenia worsens the prognosis of the patient in terms of life expectancy. In this review, we discuss the current advances in epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of sarcopenia.