Cardiac Manifestations of Sarcopenia

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiology
• Primary Care

Background:

• Sarcopenia, a common condition in older adults, may be linked to cardiovascular health.
• The SARC-F questionnaire is a simple tool for screening sarcopenia in community settings.
• Early detection of cardiac abnormalities is crucial for managing cardiovascular disease in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between positive SARC-F screening for sarcopenia and cardiac abnormalities in community-living older adults without a history of heart failure.
• To determine if SARC-F can predict cardiac dysfunction, particularly diastolic dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• An observational study involving community-dwelling older adults.
• Participants were screened using the SARC-F tool. Those with a score of >=4 and no history of heart failure underwent further cardiac assessment.
• Assessments included grip strength, walking speed, the 6-minute walk test, and echocardiography. N-terminal prohormone of B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were measured.

Main Results:

• A SARC-F score of >=4 was significantly associated with diastolic dysfunction and elevated NT-proBNP levels.
• Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that combining SARC-F with hand grip strength or gait speed improved the prediction of diastolic dysfunction.
• These findings suggest a link between sarcopenia indicators and cardiac abnormalities.

Conclusions:

• Community-living older adults identified with sarcopenia via the SARC-F tool exhibit a higher prevalence of diastolic dysfunction and elevated NT-proBNP.
• The SARC-F tool, particularly when combined with hand grip strength or walking speed, shows potential for early detection of cardiac dysfunction in primary care settings.
• SARC-F may serve as a valuable screening tool for identifying older adults at risk of cardiac abnormalities.