SARC-F as a case-finding tool for sarcopenia according to the EWGSOP2. National validation and comparison with other diagnostic standards

• Published in: Aging clinical and experimental research 2021-07, Vol.33 (7), p.1821-1829
• Main Authors: Piotrowicz, Karolina, Głuszewska, Anna, Czesak, Joanna, Fedyk-Łukasik, Małgorzata, Klimek, Ewa, Sánchez-Rodríguez, Dolores, Skalska, Anna, Gryglewska, Barbara, Grodzicki, Tomasz, Gąsowski, Jerzy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Hand Strength; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Older people; Original; Original Article; Poland; Sarcopenia; Surveys and Questionnaires
• ISSN: 1720-8319; 1594-0667; 1720-8319
• DOI: 10.1007/s40520-020-01782-y

Background Sarcopenia is a potentially reversible condition, which requires proper screening and diagnosis. Aims To validate a Polish version of sarcopenia screening questionnaire (SARC-F), and assess its clinical performance. Methods Cross-sectional validation study in community-dwelling subjects ≥ 65 years of age. Diagnosis of sarcopenia was based on the 2018 2nd European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) consensus. Hand grip and 4-m gait speed were measured, and the Polish version of SARC-F was administered. Results The mean (SD) age of 73 participants (21.9% men) was 77.8 (7.3) years. Seventeen participants (23.3%) fulfilled the EWGSOP2 criteria of sarcopenia, and 9 (12.3%) criteria for severe sarcopenia. Fourteen (19.2%) participants fulfilled the SARC-F criteria for clinical suspicion of sarcopenia. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for internal was 0.84. With EWGSOP2 sarcopenia as a gold standard, the sensitivity of SARC-F was 35.3% (95% CI 14.2–61.7, p  = 0.33), specificity was 85.7% (95% CI 73.8–93.6, p