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The Conceptual Definition of Sarcopenia: Delphi Consensus from the Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS)

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Avan SayerORCiD

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Abstract

© 2024 The Author(s).Importance: Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength/function, is an important clinical condition. However, no international consensus on the definition exists. Objective: The Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS) aimed to address this by establishing the global conceptual definition of sarcopenia. Design: The GLIS steering committee was formed in 2019-21 with representatives from all relevant scientific societies worldwide. During this time, the steering committee developed a set of statements on the topic and invited members from these societies to participate in a two-phase International Delphi Study. Between 2022 and 2023, participants ranked their agreement with a set of statements using an online survey tool (SurveyMonkey). Statements were categorised based on predefined thresholds: strong agreement (>80%), moderate agreement (70-80%) and low agreement (<70%). Statements with strong agreement were accepted, statements with low agreement were rejected and those with moderate agreement were reintroduced until consensus was reached. Results: 107 participants (mean age: 54 ± 12 years [1 missing age], 64% men) from 29 countries across 7 continents/regions completed the Delphi survey. Twenty statements were found to have a strong agreement. These included; 6 statements on 'general aspects of sarcopenia' (strongest agreement: the prevalence of sarcopenia increases with age (98.3%)), 3 statements on 'components of sarcopenia' (muscle mass (89.4%), muscle strength (93.1%) and muscle-specific strength (80.8%) should all be a part of the conceptual definition of sarcopenia)) and 11 statements on 'outcomes of sarcopenia' (strongest agreement: sarcopenia increases the risk of impaired physical performance (97.9%)). A key finding of the Delphi survey was that muscle mass, muscle strength and muscle-specific strength were all accepted as 'components of sarcopenia', whereas impaired physical performance was accepted as an 'outcome' rather than a 'component' of sarcopenia. Conclusion and relevance: The GLIS has created the first global conceptual definition of sarcopenia, which will now serve to develop an operational definition for clinical and research settings.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Kirk B, Cawthon PM, Arai H, Avila-Funes JA, Barazzoni R, Bhasin S, Binder EF, Bruyere O, Cederholm T, Chen L-K, Cooper C, Duque G, Fielding RA, Guralnik J, Kiel DP, Landi F, Reginster J-Y, Sayer AA, Visser M, Von Haehling S, Woo J, Cruz-Jentoft AJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Age and Ageing

Year: 2024

Volume: 53

Issue: 3

Print publication date: 01/03/2024

Online publication date: 22/03/2024

Acceptance date: 12/02/2024

Date deposited: 09/04/2024

ISSN (print): 0002-0729

ISSN (electronic): 1468-2834

Publisher: Oxford University Press

URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae052

DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afae052

PubMed id: 38520141

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