Modern guidelines for the diagnosis of sarcopenia

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a progressive generalized skeletal muscle disease characterized by loss of muscle mass and decreased muscle function with an increased risk of adverse events. For a long time, loss of muscle mass and function has been studied as a clinical symptom in severe diseases and conditions in oncology, endocrinology, rheumatology, and a number of other systemic diseases. However, with the increase in life expectancy and aging of the population, sarcopenia, as an independent age-associated disease, comes into general medical practice and makes a significant contribution to the rates of disability and mortality. To date, several definitions of sarcopenia, screening methods and diagnostic criteria for this disease have been proposed by various international research groups. This review presents evolution of definitions and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia. Changes in the algorithm for sarcopenia diagnostics according to the latest recommendations of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia for Older People (EWGSOP) second revision, published in 2018 (EWGSOP2), as well as the results of the consensus of the American Geriatric Society and the International Group on study of sarcopenia. This review summarizes practical issues regarding methods for assessing muscle mass, muscle strength and skeletal muscle function, diagnostics threshold for sarcopenia from leading international research groups, as well as the results of researchers’ work on adapting tests for assessing sarcopenia in Russia.