ESPEN 2012 - Late breaking abstract submission

Topic: Late Breaking Abstract

Abs n°:ESPEN12-1881

Abs Title: PREVALENCE OF SARCOPENIA IN MALNOURISHED COMMUNITY-LIVING OLDER SUBJECTS

A. J. Cruz Jentoft ^1,*V. A. Mustad ²D. S. Hustead ²J. T. Cramer ³ and NCT01191125 Investigators

¹Servicio de Geriatría, Hospital Universitario Ramon y Cajal, Madrid, Spain, ²Scientific Affairs, Abbott, Columbus, ³Nutrition and Health Sciences, University Nebraska, Lincoln, United States

Rationale: Malnutrition and sarcopenia have overlapping phenotypic features;  however, these relationships are mostly unexplored in community-living older populations.  This study assessed prevalence of sarcopenia [EWGSOP definition (1)] in malnourished men and women, and to explore differences in body composition.

Methods: Men and women (n=800), >65 yrs of age, recruited from 8 countries across Europe and North America, were evaluated. Malnutrition (Subjective Global Assessment, B or C) and sarcopenia was assessed. Those having low gait speed (<0.8 m/sec) and/or handgrip strength (<30 kg males; <20 kg females) further had body composition assessed via dual X-ray absorptiometry. Low SMI was based on appendicular lean mass adjusted for age, gender, height or weight and cutpoints for class I/II sarcopenia determined previously (2).

Results: Malnutrition was confirmed in n=643 subjects.  At least one measure of strength or physical performance was impaired in n=488 [age, yrs mean±SD = 76±6.4 (range 65-95); 71% female.  Within this group, low SMI was further observed in 89% of men and 69% of women.  Body composition of those having malnutrition and low strength or physical performance (n=268; Europe and US) revealed differences between those with normal vs low SMI; when adjusting for gender, individuals with low SMI had lower total skeletal mass (p<0.01) with higher body weight (p=0.02), body mass index (p=0.02) and fat mass (p<0.01), and greater than 50% were overweight or obese (p=0.03).

Conclusion: In this multi-country sample of community-living older men and women with malnutrition, sarcopenia is highly prevalent even in overweight and obese individuals.  

Reference(s): 1.  Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Age Ageing. 2010 Jul;39(4):412-23. 2. Baumgartner RN, Am. J. Epidemiol. 1998;147:755-63; Kim, J., Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76:378-83; Janssen J. J. Am Geriatr Soc. 2002;50:889-96; Newman AB., J Am Geriatr Soc 2003;51:1602–09.

Disclosure of Interest: A. Cruz Jentoft Grant/Research Support from: Abbott NutritionV. Mustad Shareholder of: Abbott Other: Abbott EmployeeD. Hustead Shareholder of: Abbott Other: Abbott EmployeeJ. Cramer Grant/Research Support from: Abbott Consultant for: Abbott Nutrition

Keywords: malnutritionsarcopenia