MedPath

Using Bedside Ultrasound to Screen for Sarcopenia in Older Adults

Completed
Conditions
Sarcopenia
Registration Number
NCT04370912
Lead Sponsor
University of British Columbia
Brief Summary

The loss of both muscle mass and quality with increasing age is called 'sarcopenia' and is a risk factor for falls, fractures and increased mortality. Sarcopenia is diagnosed with Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning (according to current criteria), but in Canada DXA scans are not approved to screen for this condition. One potential solution is Point of Care Ultrasound (PoCUS), since recent advances have made bedside ultrasound technology readily available as a rapid bedside screening tool.

Detailed Description

Some recent work has examined the possibility of using ultrasound as a measure of both muscle quantity and muscle quantity. Work done by Strasser et al, has shown that ultrasonic measures of muscle thickness in the quadriceps muscle has a highly significant correlation with maximal voluntary contration. Other work done by Miron-Mombiela et al has shown that measures of muscle thickness and echointensity (a measure of muscle quality) also show high correlations with grip strength. These findings (supported by our pilot data, see Pilot Data) and new technological advances in bedside ultrasonic devices suggest that these measures might be a valuable contribution to the process of screening for sarcopenia in older adults. In this proposal, Investigators hypothesize that bedside ultrasound, which is increasingly becoming a mainstream component of the standard physical exam, will be a much more specific and accurate alternative to our current best screening methods.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
152
Inclusion Criteria
  • each subject must be 65 years of age or greater
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Exclusion Criteria
  • hemodialysis patients will be excluded, due to excessive fluid shifts with dialysis
  • patients using chronic oral corticosteroids will be excluded, due to potential muscle atrophy
  • hemiparesis due to a stroke or paresis of the lower limbs will be excluded
  • subjects with pitting edema on physical exam (due to liver, renal or heart failure) or patients that are severely dehydrated will be excluded
  • patients with myositis, systemic connective tissue disorders, systemic atrophies affecting the central nervous system (CNS) and CNS demyelinating diseases will be excluded
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Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Height in cmthrough study completion, an average of 1 year

weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2

Weight in kgthrough study completion, an average of 1 year

weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2

US measurement for Sarcopeniathrough study completion, an average of 1 year

o establish PoCUS measures (muscle thickness, MT; echointensity, EI) as a new screening test for sarcopenia

Handgrip strength in kgthrough study completion, an average of 1 year

Handgrip strength cutoffs for sarcopenia for men and women

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, VGH Research Pavilion Room 186

🇨🇦

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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