Associação entre o risco de sarcopenia com a força muscular e variáveis funcionais em pessoas idosas acompanhadas em um hospital universitário do Pará: um estudo transversal

Abstract

Introduction: Sarcopenia is a disease characterized by progressive and generalized loss of muscle strength and mass, which may also affect functionality. Although associated with several unfavorable health outcomes in the elderly population, it is generally underdiagnosed in clinical practice due to the complexity of determining the most important variables and access to the necessary diagnostic tools. Therefore, adequate screening for the disease can enable the planning of early interventions to minimize adverse health outcomes in older adults. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between the risk of developing sarcopenia and muscle strength and functional variables in older adults in an outpatient setting. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional, correlational study conducted at the HUJBB. Individuals of both sexes aged 60 years or older, treated at the geriatric outpatient clinic of the João de Barros Barreto University Hospital (HUJBB), were included. Sarcopenia was assessed using the 2019 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older Adults (EWGSOP2) algorithm, measuring handgrip strength, muscle mass using electrical bioimpedance analysis (BIA), and a physical assessment using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). On a later day, knee flexor and extensor muscle function was assessed using a Biodex System Pro 4 isokinetic dynamometer. Results: Thirty-one elderly individuals with a mean age of 72 years (±7.07) and a predominance of females (71%) were evaluated. Approximately 51.6% of the sample was at risk of developing sarcopenia, but only 9.4%, all of whom were men, had sarcopenia. The results of multiple linear regression, with the SARC-F score as the dependent variable, demonstrated that only flexor peak torque showed a statistically significant association with SARC-F (β = -2.83; p = 0.018; 95% CI: -5.14 to -0.52). Conclusion: The study found that flexor peak torque showed a significant association with SARC-F, indicating that a reduction in peak torque indicates a greater risk of sarcopenia and possible functional deficits.