SARC-F as a Screening Tool in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Real-World Burden of Sarcopenia Risk, Sex Differences, and...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Geriatrics
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Sarcopenia is a common complication in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), often overlooked in clinical practice.
• Screening tools like SARC-F are validated but underutilized in RA patient populations.
• This study investigates sarcopenia risk prevalence and correlates in RA patients versus controls.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence of sarcopenia risk using the SARC-F questionnaire in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
• To identify clinical factors associated with sarcopenia risk in RA.
• To compare sarcopenia risk in RA patients with age- and sex-matched controls.

Main Methods:

• An observational case-control study involving 275 RA patients (>50 years) and 300 controls.
• Sarcopenia risk was determined using the SARC-F questionnaire (score ≥ 4).
• Grip strength and gait speed were measured in RA patients; multivariable regression identified correlates of abnormal SARC-F.

Main Results:

• Sarcopenia risk (SARC-F ≥ 4) was found in 26.9% of RA patients.
• RA women showed a significantly higher prevalence (34.0%) compared to controls (24.7%).
• Independent correlates in RA included female sex and higher RAPID3 scores; over half had low grip strength.

Conclusions:

• The SARC-F questionnaire identifies a significant burden of sarcopenia risk in RA, particularly in women.
• Combining SARC-F with grip strength testing provides a feasible, low-cost screening approach for rheumatology settings.
• Implementing this strategy can improve sarcopenia recognition and management in RA patients.