Prevalence of sarcopenia according to EWGSOP1 and EWGSOP2 in older adults and their associations with unfavorable health outcomes: a systematic review

• Published in: Aging clinical and experimental research Vol. 34; no. 3; pp. 505 - 514
• Main Authors: Fernandes, Lara Vilar, Paiva, Alexandre Elias Gomes, Silva, Ana Clara Borges, de Castro, Isabela Coelho, Santiago, Andrezza Fernanda, de Oliveira, Erick P., Porto, Laura Cristina Jardim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-03-2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Consensus; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Hand Strength; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Muscle strength; Nutrition; Older people; Prevalence; Review; Sarcopenia; Sarcopenia - complications; Sarcopenia - diagnosis; Sarcopenia - epidemiology; Software; Systematic review; Working groups; Muscle strength; Physical performance; Elderly; Older people; Skeletal muscle; Muscle mass
• ISSN: 1720-8319; 1594-0667; 1720-8319
• DOI: 10.1007/s40520-021-01951-7

Background
The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) recently updated the definition and diagnostic criteria to assess sarcopenia, which can result in important changes in sarcopenia prevalence in older adults.
Aim
To compare the prevalence of sarcopenia through the diagnostic criteria and definition proposed by the first (EWGSOP1) and recent (EWGSOP2) European consensus in older adults. We also aimed to evaluate which sarcopenia consensus is better associated with unfavorable health outcomes.
Methods
The review followed PRISMA guidelines. Embase, Medline (PubMed), Scopus and Web of Science were searched from 2018 to February 2021. The systematic review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42020213303). The search, selection, and evaluation processes were done in a duplicate and independent manner.
Results
Of the 298 potentially eligible articles, 9 were included in this review. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 17.7% by EWGSOP1 and 11% by EWGSOP2. Evaluating all the studies, the sarcopenia prevalence ranged from 6.2 to 35.3% for the EWGSOP1, and from 3.2 to 26.3% for the EWGSOP2. Five studies have evaluated the association between the prevalence of sarcopenia (EWGSOP1 versus EWGSOP2) and unfavorable health outcomes, in which three studies showed that EWGSOP1 was better associated with increased risk of hospitalization and/or mortality.
Conclusion
In comparison with EWGSOP1, the prevalence of sarcopenia in older adults decreased when diagnosed according to EWGSOP2. Based on limited evidence, EWGSOP2 seems to be worse for predicting unfavorable outcomes compared with EWGSOP1.