SARC-F As a Case-finding Tool for Sarcopenia According to the EWGSOP2. National Validation and Comparison with Other Diagnostic Standards

Overview

Journal Aging Clin Exp Res

Publisher Springer

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2021 Jan 28

PMID 33506313

Citations 12

Authors

Karolina Piotrowicz

Anna Gluszewska

Joanna Czesak

Malgorzata Fedyk-Lukasik

Ewa Klimek

Dolores Sanchez-Rodriguez

Anna Skalska

Barbara Gryglewska

Tomasz Grodzicki

Jerzy Gasowski

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Sarcopenia is a potentially reversible condition, which requires proper screening and diagnosis.

Aims: To validate a Polish version of sarcopenia screening questionnaire (SARC-F), and assess its clinical performance.

Methods: Cross-sectional validation study in community-dwelling subjects ≥ 65 years of age. Diagnosis of sarcopenia was based on the 2018 2nd European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) consensus. Hand grip and 4-m gait speed were measured, and the Polish version of SARC-F was administered.

Results: The mean (SD) age of 73 participants (21.9% men) was 77.8 (7.3) years. Seventeen participants (23.3%) fulfilled the EWGSOP2 criteria of sarcopenia, and 9 (12.3%) criteria for severe sarcopenia. Fourteen (19.2%) participants fulfilled the SARC-F criteria for clinical suspicion of sarcopenia. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for internal was 0.84. With EWGSOP2 sarcopenia as a gold standard, the sensitivity of SARC-F was 35.3% (95% CI 14.2-61.7, p = 0.33), specificity was 85.7% (95% CI 73.8-93.6, p < 0.0001). The corresponding positive and negative predictive values were 42.9% (p = 0.79) and 81.4% (p < 0.0001), respectively. The probability of false-positive result was 14.3% (95% CI 6.4-26.2, p < 0.0001) and the probability of false-negative result was 64.7% (95% CI 38.3-85.8, p = 0.33). Overall the predictive power of SARC-F was low (c-statistic 0.64).

Discussion: SARC-F is currently recommended for sarcopenia case finding in general population of older adults. However, its sensitivity is low, despite high specificity.

Conclusions: At present SARC-F is better suited to rule out sarcopenia then to case-finding. Further refinement of screening for sarcopenia with the use of SARC-F seems needed.

Citing Articles

Prevalence of Sarcopenia Among Slovenian Older Adults and Associated Risk Factors.

Pus K, Pisot S, Marusic U, Peskar M, Teraz K, Kalc M Zdr Varst. 2025; 64(2):103-111.

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SARC-F: an effective screening tool for detecting sarcopenia and predicting health-related quality of life in older women in Sri Lanka.

Rathnayake N, Abeygunasekara T, Liyanage G, Subasinghe S, De Zoysa W, Palangasinghe D BMC Geriatr. 2025; 25(1):129.

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Agreement analysis and associated factors of SARC-F and SARC-CALF in screening of risk sarcopenia in people living with human immunodeficiency virus.

Vieira L, Ximenez J, Spexoto M Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2025; 80():100565.

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Prospective sarcopenia outcomes associated with physical performance in individuals aged 55 years and over in Malaysia.

Megasari I, Mat S, Singh D, Tan M Front Public Health. 2023; 11:1226642.

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Piotrowicz K, Perera I, Rys M, Skalska A, Hope S, Gryglewska B J Clin Med. 2023; 12(19).

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