| [ Summary ] |
There is not yet any widely accepted definition of diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia. In a recent European consensus screening is done with a walking speed of 0.8 m/sec and the skeletal muscle index (SMI) is adopted as an essential assessment item for muscle mass. Muscle strength as determined by grip strength is used to aid diagnosis. In another western intervention criterion, walking speed of 1 m/sec and SMI are used to determine whether or not intervention is needed. The use of muscle mass and walking speed in both systems is a major point of commonality, but there are large differences in how muscle strength is handled and in the cutoff values for walking speed. |