Accuracy of SARC-F and SARC-CalF for sarcopenia screening in older women from southern Brazil

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to verify the accuracy of the SARC-F and the SARC-CalF as screening tools for sarcopenia in community-dwelling older women ≥60 y of age.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study evaluating a convenience sample of women ≥60 y of age, living in Southern Brazil. Sarcopenia was defined according to the criteria proposed in the latest European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People consensus (EWGSOP2). Appendicular muscle mass was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Muscle strength was measured by handheld dynamometry, and physical performance through the 4-m gait speed test. The SARC-F questionnaire and SARC-CalF score for sarcopenia screening were also applied.

Results: We evaluated 288 participants, with a mean age of 67.6 ± 5.8 y. The frequency of probable and confirmed sarcopenia in the sample was 7.3% and 2.1%, respectively. The frequency of risk for sarcopenia assessed by the SARC-F was 4.5% and SARC-CalF 22.2%. Despite the excellent specificity (95.4%) demonstrated by the SARC-F, its sensitivity in identifying confirmed cases was null, whereas the SARC-CalF showed high sensitivity (83.3%) and good specificity (79%).

Conclusion: The present study findings suggested that SARC-CalF may be able to outperform SARC-F as a sarcopenia screening tool in women ≥60 y of age even under the new EWGSOP2 criteria, the main determinant of which is strength as observed in studies based on the previous definition.

Keywords: EWGSOP2; SARC-CalF; SARC-F; Sarcopenia; Screening tests; Women.