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  • Original Article
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Body composition, energy expenditure and physical activity

Sarcopenia assessment project in the nursing homes in Turkey

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 68, pages 690–694 (2014)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objectives:

Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity (SO) are geriatric syndromes leading to physical disability, poor quality of life and death. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and SO in nursing homes in Turkey and to define local disparities for diagnosing sarcopenia and SO.

Subjects/methods:

This cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in 711 patients in 14 nursing homes. Comprehensive geriatric assessment tests, handgrip strength and calf circumference (CC) measurements were carried out. Sarcopenia was both defined by handgrip strength and CC criteria.

Results:

According to handgrip strength measurement, 483 (68%) of patients were sarcopenic (male: 72%, female: 63.8%), 228 were non-sarcopenic. The prevalence of SO was 22% (13.7% in men, 30.2% in women). Patients (82.5%) who were diagnosed as sarcopenic by the handgrip strength test were not sarcopenic according to CC sarcopenia criteria. Therefore, we tried to determine the optimal CC value for diagnosing sarcopenia in our population.

Conclusions:

Both sarcopenia and SO were prevalent among Turkish nursing home elderly residents. Most of the patients with sarcopenia were obese or overweight. We showed that diagnosing sarcopenia with CC measurement underestimated the sarcopenia prevalence assessed by handgrip strength. So we concluded that, although different assessment methods are recommended for the diagnosis of sarcopenia local disparities should be considered.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the nursing homes that participated in this study (Umitkoy Nursing Home Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center, Talya Elderly Care Home, Suleyman Demirel Nursing Home Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center, Seyranbaglari Nursing Home Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center, Teacher Necla Kizilbaǧ Nursing Home Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center, and Akyurt Foundation Homes for the Elderly in Ankara; Darulaceze Institution–Okmeydanı, Istanbul Darulaceze Institution–Kayisdagi, Prof. Dr Fahrettin Kerim–Nilufer Gokay Nursing Home Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center, and Balikli Rum Foundation Hospital Nursing Home in Istanbul; Narlidere Geriatric Care Center and Residential Home, Izmir Nurel Nursing Home and Elderly Care Home, Nevvar Salih İşgören Nursing Home, and Basın Sitesi: İzmir Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center in Izmir), and the Turkish Social Service and Children Protection Institution for granting permission for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    M Halil, M E Kuyumcu, B B Yavuz, Y Yesil, M Cankurtaran & S Arıoğul

  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Gazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Z Ulger

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    M Varlı & T Atlı

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Istanbul University, Faculty of Cerrahpasa Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

    A Döventaş, T Beger & D S Erdinçler

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Istanbul University, Faculty of Istanbul Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

    G B Oztürk, F Tufan, B Saka & M A Karan

  6. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Ege University, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey

    S Sahin & F Akçiçek

  7. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Istanbul Bilim University, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

    A Curgunlu

  8. Narlidere Geriatric Care Center and Residential Home, Izmir, Turkey

    N Tekin

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  1. M Halil
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  2. Z Ulger
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  15. F Akçiçek
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  16. M A Karan
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  17. T Atlı
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  18. T Beger
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  19. D S Erdinçler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M E Kuyumcu.

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Halil, M., Ulger, Z., Varlı, M. et al. Sarcopenia assessment project in the nursing homes in Turkey. Eur J Clin Nutr 68, 690–694 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2014.15

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