Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Older Patients in Rehabilitation Wards

Abstract

The multidisciplinary assessment of hospitalized patients via validated scales and tools has become crucial in the early identification of sarcopenia. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and its related factors in patients aged ≥65 years admitted to the neurological rehabilitation departments of cognitive motor disorders and functional motor rehabilitation at the IRCCS Hospital San Raffaele in Milan. Using the algorithm reported by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2), the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients was investigated from 2019–2020. Definite sarcopenia was detected in 161 of 336 recruited patients (47.9%). Age was significantly higher in sarcopenic patients than in those without sarcopenia (median 81 vs. 79 years, p p p p p < 0.005 for both). In conclusion, sarcopenic patients were more cognitively impaired and less autonomous in their daily life, but the majority presented with a negative malnutrition screening test.

Keywords

• sarcopenia
• rehabilitation
• malnutrition