Norikazu Hishikawa, RPT, PhD, Koshiro Sawada, MD, PhD, Sawa Shono, RPT, Momoko Sakurai, MD, Megumi Yokozeki, MD, Hiroshi Maeda, MD, Suzuyo Ohashi, MD, PhD, Keiichiro Ueshima, MD, PhD, Yasuo Mikami, MD, PhD
Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 14: 26-32, 2023
Objective: The Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia
2019 recommends diagnosing sarcopenia without
using a body composition analyzer and initiating
treatment early. The present study aimed to investigate
the accuracy of diagnosing sarcopenia without a body
composition analyzer in a convalescent rehabilitation
ward.
Methods: Eighty-five patients admitted to a
convalescent rehabilitation ward were included, and
sarcopenia diagnoses were performed with and
without a body composition analyzer. To assess the
accuracy of diagnosing sarcopenia without using a
body composition analyzer, sensitivity, specificity,
positive predictive value, and negative predictive
value were calculated relative to sarcopenia diagnoses
made using a body composition analyzer.
Results: The sensitivity of the technique for diagnosing
sarcopenia was 0.94, specificity was 0.77, positive
predictive value was 0.86, and negative predictive
value was 0.90.
Conclusion: The accuracy of diagnosing sarcopenia
without using a body composition analyzer was high.
However, this technique may miss sarcopenia cases in
patients with increased calf circumference due to
adipose tissue and/or edema.
Key words: sarcopenia, AWGS2019, convalescent rehabilitation ward, diagnosis