Sarcopenia and associated factors according to the EWGSOP2 criteria in older people living in nursing homes: a cross-sectional study

Background: In 2018, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) updated the original defnition of sarcopenia, establishing new criteria to be used globally. Early diagnosis of sarcopenia in nursing home residents and the identifcation of contributing factors would target interventions to reduce the incidence of malnu‑trition, social isolation, functional decline, hospitalization and mortality. Aim: Verify the prevalence and the degree of severity of sarcopenia according to the new EWSGOP2 criteria and to analyse its associated factors in residents living in nursing homes in Central Catalonia (Spain). Design: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in 4 nursing homes. SARC-F test was applied as the initial screening, muscle strength was measured by a dynamometer, skeletal muscle mass by bioimpedance analysis and physical performance by Gait Speed. Four categories were used: total probable sarcopenia, probable sarcopenia, confrmed sarcopenia and severe sarcopenia. Results: Among the total sample of 104 nursing home residents (mean age 84.6, ± 7.8; median 86, IQR 110), 84.6% were women and 85 (81.7%) (95% confdence interval [CI] 73.0-88.0) had total probable sarcopenia, 63 (60.5%) had probable sarcopenia, 19 (18.3%) had confrmed sarcopenia and 7 (6.7%) had severe sarcopenia. In the bivariate analysis, obesity was negatively associated and total time in sedentary behavior positively associated with all sarco‑penia categories. In addition, malnutrition and urinary continence were positively associated with total and probable sarcopenia. Urinary incontinence was a positive associated factor of total and probable sarcopenia. In the multivariate analysis, obesity represented a negative associated factor: OR=0.13 (0.03 - 0.57), p=0.007 and OR=0.14 (0.03 - 0.60), p=0.008 with total and probable sarcopenia, respectively, adjusted by urinary incontinence status. For confrmed sarcopenia, obesity also represented a negative associated factor OR=0.06 (0.01 - 0.99), p=0.049 and the total time ...