Sarcopenia influences fall-related injuries in community-dwelling older adults

This study aimed to determine the relationship between sarcopenia and fall-related injuries in community-dwelling older adults in Korea. The study population comprised 2848 subjects aged 65 years or older who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys during 2010-2011. Sarcopenia was considered to be present if the subject's appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by his or her weight was less than 29.9% in men, or less than 25.1% in women. The incidence of fall-related injuries during the past year among all the respondents was 4.3%, and the prevalence of sarcopenia was 32.2%. After controlling for sociodemographic variables and morbidity due to chronic diseases, the incidence of fall-related injuries remained significantly elevated among older adults with sarcopenia (odds ratio = 1.61, 95% confidence internal = 1.01-2.54). Sarcopenia should be considered when investigating means of preventing of fall-related injuries in community-dwelling older adults. To prevent falls among these persons, it is vital to implement intervention programs that increase muscle mass. (C) 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.