Limitations of SARC-F As a Screening Tool for Sarcopenia in Patients on Hemodialysis

Overview

Journal Nephron

Publisher Karger

Specialty Nephrology

Date 2021 Sep 18

PMID 34535597

Citations 11

Authors

Keigo Imamura

Shohei Yamamoto

Yuta Suzuki

Ryota Matsuzawa

Manae Harada

Shun Yoshikoshi

Atsushi Yoshida

Atsuhiko Matsunaga

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: There are limited screening tools for sarcopenia in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the SARC-F (Strength, Assistance in walking, Rise from a chair, Climb stairs, and Falls) questionnaire as a screening tool for sarcopenia (defined by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia [AWGS2019]) in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 179 patients (mean age: 66.5 ± 12 years, 58% men) undergoing maintenance hemodialysis 3 times per week at a hemodialysis center in Japan. The SARC-F score, handgrip strength, usual gait speed, sit-to-stand test time, short physical performance battery (SPPB), and appendicular skeletal muscle mass were evaluated. The reliability and validity of the SARC-F were analyzed using receiver-operating characteristic curve, area under the curve (AUC), and sensitivity/specificity analyses.

Results: There were 49 (27.4%) patients with sarcopenia. Patients with SARC-F ≥4 (59 patients, 33.0%) had poorer grip strength, lower SPPB score, and slower gait speed than those with SARC-F <4, while the skeletal muscle mass index did not differ significantly between the two groups. The sensitivity and specificity values of the SARC-F for identifying sarcopenia were 42.9% and 70.8%, respectively, while those for identifying severe sarcopenia were 66.7% and 72.3%, respectively. The AUCs of SARC-F were 0.57 for sarcopenia and 0.70 for severe sarcopenia.

Discussion/conclusion: The SARC-F alone is an inadequate screening tool for sarcopenia in patients undergoing hemodialysis. It should be used in combination with objective assessment measures, rather than as a first-step screening tool, to diagnose sarcopenia.

Citing Articles

Evaluating SARC-F, SARC-CalF, and calf circumference as diagnostic tools for sarcopenia in Thai older adults: results from a nationwide study.

Vanitcharoenkul E, Unnanuntana A, Chotiyarnwong P, Adulkasem N, Asavamongkolkul A, Laohaprasitiporn P BMC Geriatr. 2024; 24(1):1043.

PMID: 39732657 PMC: 11681680. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-05637-3.

Performance of SARC-F and SARC-CalF scores to predict risk of mortality in hemodialysis patients: a cohort study.

Borges S, Fortes R, Martins T, Lopes Alves M, Cipriano Jr G, Cipriano G Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):23262.

PMID: 39370431 PMC: 11456598. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-74412-6.

A Comparative Analysis of the SARC-F Questionnaire and the Malnutrition-Inflammation Score for Sarcopenia Risk Assessment and Negative Outcome Probability in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.

Katalinic L, Juric I, Furic Cunko V, Premuzic V, Jelakovic B, Basic-Jukic N J Clin Med. 2024; 13(18).

PMID: 39337040 PMC: 11432496. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13185554.

Comparative evaluation of screening tools for sarcopenia in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

Chaiamnuay S, Kanjanavaikoon N, Saisirivechakun P Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):14407.

PMID: 38909047 PMC: 11193750. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65120-2.

Design and methodology of the SARCopenia trajectories and associations with adverse clinical outcomes in patients on HemoDialysis: the SARC-HD study.

Duarte M, Pereira M, Baiao V, Vieira F, Silva M, Krug R BMC Nephrol. 2023; 24(1):239.

PMID: 37582699 PMC: 10428584. DOI: 10.1186/s12882-023-03168-4.

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