Can bone mass measured via bioelectrical impedance analysis be used to diagnose sarcopenia?

Abstract

The simplification of diagnostic criteria is critical to promoting interventions for sarcopenia. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sarcopenia and bone mass [measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)], as well as to identify new indicators associated with this disease. Basic interviews and measurement of physical function were performed on 474 community-dwelling older adults (aged 77.1 ± 7.6 years), including older adult patients with sarcopenia, in Wakasa Town, Fukui Prefecture. The findings led to 363, 71, and 40 participants being classified as ‘normal’, ‘pre-sarcopenia’, and ‘having sarcopenia’, respectively. An Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis showed that age, bone mass phase angle (lower limb), Fat-free Mass Index, and leg muscle score were aggravating factors for sarcopenia in both men and women. A receiver operating characteristic analysis of bone mass and sarcopenia status showed that the area under the curve and cut-off value, as well as its sensitivity and specificity, in men were 0.915 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.853–0.977], 2.2 kg, 81%, and 87%, respectively, and 0.913 (95% CI: 0.858–0.968), 1.6 kg, 91%, and 88%, respectively, in women. This study revealed that the BIA method of measuring bone mass has excellent accuracy in detecting sarcopenia in both males and females.