Ratreio da sarcopenia em pessoas idosas acompanhadas no ambulatório do Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto

Abstract

Sarcopenia is an age-associated syndrome that has been associated with the risk of several adverse events, mainly functional decline and death. In the Brazilian health system, this constitutes a growing health problem, often with deficient identification, characterizing a challenge for the current health care model. It is therefore important to adopt preventive measures and to track the problem. Objective: To investigate sarcopenia and analyze screening instruments with variables of muscle function and functionality in elderly people followed at the geriatrics outpatient clinic of the Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto (HUJBB). Methodology: This is an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study with quantitative characteristics, carried out from January to October 2023 at HUJBB. Individuals of both sexes aged over 60 years, treated at the HUJBB geriatrics outpatient clinic, were included. Sarcopenia was assessed using the 2019 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People- EWGSOP2 algorithm. A physical assessment was carried out consisting of the application of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) instrument, checking handgrip strength and Bioelectrical Impedance assessment (BIA). Results: 46 elderly people were evaluated, the majority of whom were female, 76.09%, with a prevalence of age between 69 and 79 (41.30%). Linear regression models were carried out taking sarcopenia screening instruments and their association with tests of physical performance, functionality and clinical aspects as the dependent variable. The best model for the SARC-CalF variable was obtained when adjustment was made for people with lung diseases (R2 = 0.97) with the association of the independent variables calf circumference, handgrip strength, gait speed and lean mass whose respective coefficients were: -0.49, 0.56, -0.173 and -0.179. For the dependent variable lean mass, the best adjustments were for hypertensive and cardiac patients (R2 = 0.82 and R2 = 0.87) with the independent variables calf circumference, handgrip strength, gait speed associated with the first model whose respective coefficients were (1.164, 0.52 and 0.29) and calf circumference (1.164) for heart disease patients. Conclusion: This research demonstrated that there is variation among sarcopenia screening instruments and that several factors must be considered when these tools are applied.