Sarcopenia and chronic illness: from diagnosis to treatment approaches

Sarcopenia is a progressive clinical syndrome characterized by general loss of skeletal muscle mass and impaired muscle function. Due to the general progressive aging of population, sarcopenia has gradually grown into a global health problem, with great negative impact on the quality of life of the affected patients as well as an adverse societal impact. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and determination of severity of sarcopenia. Special attention is given to the rehabilitative treatment against sarcopenia, pointing out that a thorough evaluation and intervention of nutritional deficits and exercise capacity as well as treatment with medical agents are needed in order to personalize the treatment according to the patient's needs. By targeting goals to improve musculoskeletal and functional disorders associated with chronic conditions, clinicians could apply a therapeutic plan focusing on how to prevent/delay the development of sarcopenia and improve the quality of the patients' lives.