Prevalence of sarcopenia in patients attending outpatient geriatric clinics: the ELLI study

Methods: subjects over 69 years old, able to walk without help and who attended five geriatric outpatient clinics were recruited. Body composition was assessed using bioimpedance analysis (BIA), grip strength using a JAMAR dynamometer and physical performance by the 4 m gait speed. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using the EGWSOP criteria (gait speed < 0.8 m/s; grip strength < 30 kg in men or < 20 kg in women, and muscle mass index (MMI) < 8.31 kg/m(2) in men or < 6.68 kg/m(2) in women). Results: two hundred and ninety-eight subjects were included (median age 83.2 years, 63.1% women). 19.1% had sarcopenia (12.7% men, 22.9% women); 20.1% had low muscle mass; 68.8% had low gait speed and 81.2% low grip strength. Only 21.9% of the subjects with low grip strength and 19.5% of those with low gait speed had sarcopenia. No correlations between muscle mass and either muscle strength or gait speed were detected. Conclusions: sarcopenia is present in one out of five subjects attending geriatric outpatient clinics.