[A new screening method for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in people 65 years and older.]

Diagnosis of sarcopenia is difficult due to the limitations of measuring muscle mass, which requires specialized equipment. Simple screening tools can be useful in general practice. The aim of the study was to develop a new screening method for diagnosing sarcopenia based on risk factors and biomarkers of the disease. The study included 230 people over 65 years and older (70 men and 160 women, median age 75 [68; 79] years) examined in a medical institution in St. Petersburg. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the updated consensus of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia 2 (EWGSOP2, 2018). When constructing a mathematical model, such indicators as the number of falls, BMI, fatigue, and the level of C-reactive protein in the blood serum had the greatest diagnostic significance of sarcopenia. The calculations showed high sensitivity - 91,4%, specificity - 88,7% and accuracy - 89,9% of the screening method for diagnosing sarcopenia in people 65 years and older.